Haunting
by EpicallyObsessed
Summary: James and his best friend Dak move into a house that Dak's father just bought, unaware of the heartache and magic tied to the foundations of their new home. When strange things start to happen, the truth emerges and surprises them both, especially as everything seems to revolve around James' new love interest. (AU; Contains Slash)
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello everyone! So, this is a story that I've been working on just for fun in my free time. It's based around Halloween and I'm planning for the last chapter to actually be up on Halloween, so hopefully everything goes according to plan. I'm also trying out a slight different writing style in this story so...we'll see how that goes. :P I'm both nervous and excited about this one, and I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _October 31, 1827_

"Alexander, you have been found guilty of practicing dark, evil magic. Blood magic." Isaac hissed the words, still unable to believe his brother capable of such things. He glanced around at the terrified faces of his mother, his aunt, and his two sisters. Together, the five of them stood in a circle at five points of the pentagram drawn roughly on the floor. The battered figure of Alexander knelt in the center, his hands tied behind his back with his own neckcloth.

Alexander shrugged, then turned and spat on the floor. "What are you going to do, little brother? We both know you won't kill me."

The cellar was dark and cold, and Alexander shivered. The mud-spattered breeches and tattered remains of his linen shirt obviously did little to ward off the chill. He smiled when he looked up, and Isaac's blood ran cold and the dead expression in his eyes.

No, Alexander's soul wasn't in there anymore. It was chased away by heartbreak and despair. The creature in front of him was nothing more than a shell.

That thought gave Isaac the courage for what they needed to do. He glanced at the other members of his family stood beside him, and they nodded back. They were ready.

Isaac held out his hands, strength and power flowing through him as his family did the same and they joined together.

"Alexander Graham Knight, son of John and Mary." Isaac's heart clenched at the mention of their late father's name, and he closed his eyes, not wanting to see the smug look on Alexander's face. "I call upon the land and the sea and the air, grant me the power to banish thee from this plane. Let thine-"

Alexander threw his head back and laughed. "Are you serious, Isaac? If you think this will keep me on the other side, then you are a fool."

Isaac ignored him, the squeeze of his sisters' fingers on his kept him focused. "Let thy spirit leave thy body and cross through the veil, where our beloved family will welcome thee with love and lift the evil curse that has befallen thee."

"Curse?" Alexander snarled. "My eyes have been opened to the true power we hold. It is no curse, but a gift."

"May thee be free of the evil that has consumed thee in this life, and spend eternity at peace."

"I know this spell, Isaac. The blood of a family member is all I need to return." Isaac watched his brother eye the rest of their family as though they were cattle to be slaughtered. "And there are still plenty to choose from. Alone, none of you are strong enough to resist my will." He licked his lips, black eyes narrowing as he met Isaac's gaze. "On this night a year from today, my power will be sufficient enough to set me free. Samhain, Isaac. It may be your ally today, but it will also be your undoing upon its return. You were lucky to catch me unaware, but now I will be watching. One of you will make a mistake, and on the next All Hallow's Eve, I will see you pay for it."

Without letting go of his sisters' hands, Isaac stretched his arms out high enough so his shirt sleeves rode up, revealing his wrist. His sisters and his mother did the same.

"No!" Alexander's eyes flashed as he focused on the small tattoo on each of their wrists-two joined S shapes one atop the other, dissected by a vertical straight line with arrows on either end. Two small X's sat on the line, completing the small talisman of protection each of them wore. "How did you…?"

"It matters not. By next Samhain, all Knights will bear this mark, as will each new descendant. There will be no return for you."

Isaac looked at his brother one last time and blinked away the tears blurring his vision. Two days ago, Alexander had been happy, joyful, and full of life. And Isaac loved him with all of his heart.

He still loved him, but this creature kneeling in front of him was not the brother he knew. Regardless, his heart broke as he prepared to utter the final words of the spell. With a shuddering breath, he met Alexander's gaze. "I banish thee beyond the veil, for now until the end of time."

He repeated it twice more, his sisters and mother joining in the last time.

The air sizzled with energy, and as they spoke the final word, Alexander's mouth opened on a silent scream, his back arched, his whole body froze in place for one...two...three beats of Isaac's heart, and then Alexander collapsed onto the cellar floor, just as the old grandfather clock struck midnight.

It was done.

* * *

 **Done! So, of course, this was just the prologue. This will actually tie into the present day, and will be expanded upon as we get further into the story! The next chapter will be the first official chapter, which I'm posting right after this. :)**

 **-EpicallyObsessed**


	2. Chapter One

_Friday, August 27, 2018_

Kendall walked in the living room of his shared apartment with mail in hand. He slung his bag on the couch and started to sort through it.

His sister, Katie, closed the front door behind them.

"Anything interesting?" She asked as she set her bag down in the hall, walked up next to him, glancing at the mail as well. "Bills, more bills...oh. Wait, what's that?"

The handwriting on the envelope was familiar, and Kendall glanced at her, frowning. "It's from Dad. I wonder what he wants."

"Nothing good, I'll bet."

Kendall drew out the single sheet of paper from their father and unfolded it for them both to read. The few lines were all it took for him to almost lose his shit.

"He fucking sold it?!" He asked, turning to look at Katie, struggling to keep his temper in check. "He's sold Mom's old house. What the hell?!"

"Wait." Katie shushed him and continued to read the rest of it. "Look." She pointed at a paragraph a little farther down.

 _I realize this is not what either of you wanted, but I'm tired of living on virtually nothing when I have all that equity sitting there collecting dust. By the time you get this, the house will already have been sold. It's done._

 _I'm sure you're aware of the ridiculous stipulations in the will preventing me from selling to just anyone. So don't worry, despite it taking three times as long to sell, the buyers were of the bloodline, albeit very far removed. He has the mark, but I'm not sure he knows what it's for, so don't go poking your nose in his business. Leave the past alone and move on from all this nonsense once and for all._

Kendall skimmed the rest of the letter, then let it drop to the couch. "What the hell?" This was _not_ what he wanted to come back to after a relaxing week away. "Do you think he did it on purpose? Arranged it all so that he could get everything done and the house sold while we were gone?"

Katie shrugged. "It's not like we could have objected. I mean, the house wasin his name. But yeah, maybe." She reached for the discarded envelope. "Do you believe him? About the new owner being of the bloodline?"

"Sort of. It's hard to confirm if we don't know their name, but he wouldn't have been able to sell it otherwise, would he?"

Katie shook her head. "I don't think so." She opened the envelope wide and made a small sound of surprise. Holding up a white business card, she smiled. "At least we know who bought it."

 _Scott Zevon, BVSC, Veterinary Surgeon._

Kendall stared at it. The surname wasn't one he recognized, but that didn't mean anything. Their family tree was huge, with all manner of distant relatives dotted all over the country. "I don't want to take his word for it. He might have found some way around the stipulation in the will. We can check later, see if that name shows up. I'm too tired to deal with this shit now."

They'd been travelling for most of the day. The drive back home had taken almost eight hours, with only one stop for lunch. Kendall was tired, hungry, and in need of a drink. He scooped up the letter and took the business card from his sister, setting both on the coffee table. "That can wait until tomorrow. For now, let's just order some food and forget what a dick our dad is."

Katie grinned. "Fine. But I don't want to leave it too long. Halloween is only nine weeks away."

"I'm aware." He scrubbed a hand over his forehead and yawned. "Nothing has happened in almost two hundred years. Maybe Dad's right. Maybe it is all just superstitious nonsense."

"You don't believe that any more than I do." She glared at him until he raised his palms in surrender.

"Okay, sorry. You're right. Of course you are. We'll look into it first thing in the morning, I promise."

"Okay. So, any preferences for dinner?"

Kendall closed his eyes, sank back into the cushions, and tried not to think about his dad selling the house that had been in their family for centuries. It might technically still be in their family, but it wasn't the same. "I don't care." He sighed and waved a hand in her general direction. "You pick."

Maybe there was nothing to worry about. God, he hoped so. His mom would turn in her grave if anything happened on their watch.

XxX

The next morning Katie pulled up the website for the vet's practice on her laptop. The place wasn't far from the old house. Maybe that was why Scott had been eager to buy it. "Ooh, he's not bad for an older guy. I wouldn't kick him out of bed."

Kendall shuffled closer to get a better look.

"Gross. He's apparently family." Saying that, Kendall had to agree with her. Scott Zevon was very easy on the eyes. Dark hair, chiseled features and warm-looking brown eyes. The bio didn't say how old he was, but from that photo, Kendall guessed early forties, maybe.

"Mm-hmm." Katie cocked an eyebrow at him. "Very, very _distant_ family, and don't tell me he doesn't do it for you. At least a little bit."

"He's all right, I suppose."

Katie huffed but scrolled through the rest of the text. Not that Kendall had expected much, but the information on the website wasn't all that helpful. It listed his education, training, and work experience but nothing personal. "Go and get the family tree, and let's see if we can find him."

"Okay."

Kendall headed to his bedroom to fetch the sheets of thick A1-size paper that made up the Knight family tree. A lot of it was stored on Katie's laptop now, but not all of it. Besides, Kendall preferred having it in his hands when he was looking for something, or rather, someone. He just found it easier that way.

Having retrieved the sheets from the box at the top of his closet, Kendall carried them to the dining room table and carefully rolled them out flat, securing the corners with two glasses and the salt and pepper shakers.

Katie joined him at the table. "We should make sure this is up to date, too. I bet there's been babies galore since Mom died."

With the house safely owned by their family, they'd become more relaxed at keeping the extended family tree current. Kendall felt a wave of guilt as he remembered the last time he'd done it. He'd helped his mom add Katie's name to it when she was born. He'd only been four at the time, and it was one of his earliest memories.

Neither he nor Katie had updated it since, and he was almost certain his dad had never bothered with it. As direct descendants, their family were responsible, something his mom and her dad before her had been proud of. She'd even kept her maiden name when she married, and made sure he and Katie took it. When his mom died eight years ago, that part of her family history kind of got forgotten without her there to keep the old stories alive.

"Yeah, I'm sure there have been." He pulled out two chairs and gestured for Katie to sit. "You start at that end, and I'll do the ones on the right. I'm guessing he'd have been born around 1975, give or take a few years."

Katie nodded, and used her finger to trace down the tree. Kendall did the same. Zevon was an uncommon enough name, it should stand out. The problem was the plan of their family tree included _everyone_. Immediate family, cousins, second cousins, and anyone that might have enough Knight blood in them to undo the curse. Everyone they knew about, anyway. Not everyone wore the mark. According to his mom, the story was lost to some generations. To some, the talk of witchcraft and magic was considered too unbelievable to even be taken seriously. That was why whoever owned that house had to have the mark. It was the only way to be one hundred percent sure they were safe.

The first sheet proved useless, as did the second. But on the third, the name jumped out at him.

"Found it." He tapped the paper.

Scott Zevon, born April 10, 1975. Only child to parents Keith and Kelsea, traced back through five generations to Kelsea Knight, cousin of Isaac Knight. Kendall shivered as he remembered the story their mom had told them every year on Halloween, and he wondered, not for the first time, how much truth there was to it.

"He has a son." Katie drew his attention back to the bottom of the tree.

"Yeah, I saw that. Dak Zevon, born May 5, 1993." He glanced at his sister. "Do you think he has the mark?"

"No idea. But if his father bought that house, I think it's a safe bet to assume his son will visit him at some point. It's a shame Dad never checked the son as well as the father."

Katie reached for her phone. "Maybe he did. Do you think he still has the same number?"

Kendall frowned. "I don't know. Try it and see. He didn't put his new address on the letter, so we've got nothing else to go on." They hadn't spoken to their father in almost seven years, and Kendall felt a pang of longing for the family they used to be. He quickly shoved it aside as Katie put her phone on speaker and tapped out the number. After the first tone, Kendall lost track of time as his mind replayed the memory of the last time they'd spoken to their dad.

" _You need to sell that bookshop and stop indulging in those stories told to you by your mother. There are no such things as witches, or ghosts, or any of that supernatural bullshit she filled your head with. I told her to stop. I thought she had, but obviously she just did it behind my back!"_

 _Kendall practically vibrated with anger. "It's not bullshit." He hissed, fists clenched at his sides. "I see things. I told you about the-"_

" _Stop! Just stop!" His dad ran a shaking hand through his hair. "Your mother was…" He bit his lips and shot Kendall and Katie a look of apology. "I'm sorry, I know you don't want to hear it, but her mind-"_

" _There was nothing wrong with her mind! She saw things, just like I do. She believed me and she understood. So don't you dare call her crazy. That bookshop is her legacy. She left it to us, not you, and we'll sell it over my dead body!"_

" _Mine too." Katie chimed in, grabbing Kendall's hand._

 _Her fingers shook against his, and he squeezed tight._

" _I can't do this." Their dad looked between them, eyes wild. "I can't talk to you when you refuse to listen to reason, to see that none of what she told you is real. That house? There's nothing special about it. And there's certainly nothing evil lurking in the shadows."_

" _That's because they banished it."_

" _Enough!" He stepped closer, a desperate expression clouding his features. "Do you hear yourselves? I won't be a part of this… this_ madness _any longer. I won't have it under my roof."_

 _Kendall glanced at Katie, and she nodded. "Fine."_

 _They moved out of the old farmhouse that night, and into the apartment above the bookshop._

 _They were both young and neither of them knew anything about running a business. They'd helped out in the shop plenty of times and could work the tills, but not much else. But with the help of Kelly-their mother's friend-they made it work._

It took seven rings before the call connected. The gruff hello on the other end showed no recognition. Had he deleted their numbers?

"Hello, Dad."

Katie sounded far calmer than Kendall felt. Just hearing his dad's voice after so long made his hands shake. She nudged him sharply, pointed at the phone and mouthed, "Well?"

"What?" He mouthed back, wondering if he'd missed something.

"Ask him."

 _Oh. Okay._ If Katie didn't want to talk to their dad beyond a hello, then fine. Kendall would do it.

"Thanks for the letter." Kendall picked up Katie's phone and gestured for her to follow him to the couch. "It's nice to hear from you after all this time." His voice dripped sarcasm, but he didn't care.

Somewhat to his surprise, the heavy sigh on the other end tugged at Kendall's conscience, and he hated it. Hated that even after seven years of radio silence, his father still had the power to make him feel guilty.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't approve, but I needed to move on with my life. I couldn't stay in that house a minute longer."

"You could have at least told us that you planned to sell."

His dad actually laughed at that, the sound harsh with the phone on speaker. "Why? So you could try and stop me? Make it more difficult than it already was to sell that place? Do you have any idea how long it took to find a buyer who satisfied all the stipulations in the will? I thought I'd never get rid of it. When Scott showed an interest, I almost bit his hand off. He may have the mark, but I don't think he has any idea what it's for. It was hard enough checking for it without him realizing. No way was I jeopardising that sale by involving you two."

His words were like a slap to the face, and any lasting guilt slipped away. " _You two_." There was no fondness in his dad's voice, nothing to show that despite their differences he still loved them. Maybe seven years without contact had erased it all.

"We didn't call to talk about that. The house is sold, we can't undo it." Kendall said in a calm yet cold fashion and hoped his father felt it in every word.

"Then why did you call?"

"Because Scott has a son."

"Yes. His name's Dak, I believe. What's that got to do with anything?"

Katie huffed next to Kendall, and when he looked at her, she rolled her eyes. "Did you check to see if he had the mark as well?"

The extended silence spoke volumes.

"Awesome." Katie slumped back against the sofa with her hands over her face.

Kendall leaned closer to the phone. "So you did just enough checking to get past the safeguards in the will?"

"Yes." Another long drawn-out sigh, and Kendall knew what was coming next before his dad even spoke. "Just let it go. The house is already sold. We're finally free of all that crap. The son doesn't live at home anymore. Nothing's going to happen if he visits. It's just a house, for God's sake."

Kendall picked up the phone, disappointment washing over him. "Bye, Dad."

He ended the call without waiting for a response. _Fuck._ He dropped his head into his hands. _I wish Mom were still alive. She'd never have let this happen._

After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Katie carefully plucked her phone out of Kendall's grasp. "So, now what?"

Kendall sighed. "I guess we'll just have to ask Scott if his son has the mark or not. If the dad has it, there's a good chance he knows why, or at least has some idea. He might not believe a word of it, but hopefully it won't come as that much of a surprise. Worst-case scenario, he'll just think we're crazy."

 _Just like our own dad._

"Fine. I'll do it. Pass me that business card."

Kendall handed it over. He sat and waited while she made the call and spoke to the vet's receptionist. After saying that a friend had recommended Scott Zevon, Katie glanced at Kendall as she listened to whatever the person on the other end was saying "Oh, I see. When will he be back?" She listened again. "Okay, thank you. I will."

"Well?" Kendall turned on the couch to face her more fully. "What did they say?"

"They said that Mr. Zevon is unavailable for the next three weeks, but his associate is available...or his son, Dak Zevon is available. He just joined the practice."

"Oh."

Katie raised an eyebrow. "So, what do we do now?"

"Good question." Kendall tapped the edge of the coffee table while he thought. "I mean, on one hand, if the dad's away, then there's no one for the son to visit. But if he's already away, who was around to take the keys from the real estate agent? It's got to be the son, right?"

"I guess." Katie didn't appear to be fully convinced.

"Look, Kelly's still covering for us in the shop tomorrow, so why don't we go take a peek at the house, and see if anyone's there. I doubt the vets are open on a holiday, so on Tuesday I'll borrow Chandler and take him to see Dak. He's bound to have free appointments if he's new. Hopefully I can get a look at his wrist while I'm there."

"You can go and spy on the house, I have a week's worth of washing to sort out. And even if Dak _does_ have the mark, he might not have it on his wrist. Not everyone does."

"Then I'll just show him mine and hope that he recognises it enough and says something." Kendall waved off his sister's skeptical expression. "It'll be fine. Don't worry."

* * *

 **Done! So, here we have the first official chapter, along with a little backstory. There will be more dates as the story goes on and will follow the days leading up to Halloween. Also, I'm sorry for any mistakes in this chapter. I kind of posting this was kind of an impulse decision. :P**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter will introduce both James and Dak and will be up within the next few days!**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	3. Chapter Two

**Hello again everyone! I'm back with another chapter!**

 **Before we get started, I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone that read the last chapter and the prologue! I would also like to give a special thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Side1ways, and Guest for reviewing!**

 **This chapter is on the short side, but I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

James parked his car behind the van his best friend Dak had hired. He got out and stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the place that was now his and Dak's home for the foreseeable future. "Well…" Glancing at the overgrown front of the old farmhouse with ivy covering most of the white wall and weeds standing tall underneath the windows, he grinned. "It's got...character."

Dak laughed and walked over to stand next to him, the gravel crunching under his boots. "Yep. Dad said it'd been on the market for ages, and the owner was willing to drop the price a fair bit. And according to dad, the place is really fucking old."

"I doubt those were his exact words." James chuckled.

"No." Dak affected a serious expression. "It was more like 'Dak, that house is old and steeped in history. Please treat it with the respect it deserves.'"

"Really?" James gestured to the new-looking houses to the right of them. The farmhouse had a good-sized garden, which for the most part was private, thanks to the trees surrounding it on two sides, but it was also now smack in the middle of a housing estate.

"Yes, also according to my dad, the farmer sold the land to developers about twenty years ago. I guess they must have been short on cash. I bet whoever owned it got a shit-load of money if all of this used to be theirs."

The housing estate was huge. James had already gotten lost twice on his way there. The roads weaved around and doubled back on themselves, and GPS was no help whatsoever. He'd worked at the school down the road for the past two years, but he never really had to navigate the network of roads around it.

"Yeah. I can imagine." James couldn't help but wonder what it must have looked like before. He nodded at the shiny new front door, installed the day before, courtesy of Dak's dad. All the windows and the back patio doors were new, too. "I see your dad's been busy."

"Yep. It might be steeped in history, but he was insistent on security first. Clearly it's only me that has to be careful about preserving its heritage."

"Whatever. I'm sure we'll be grateful come November." The house also had a nice new boiler, and James was more than happy to forego a little bit of history if it meant warmth and hot water on demand. "Come on, then. Let's go take a look."

Neither of them had set foot inside the place yet. Dak's dad had sent pictures, which Dak had then sent to James, but they'd let Dak's dad handle everything. He'd bought it, after all, and it might be an investment for Dak's future, but James was just happy to have somewhere to live that was practically in walking distance of his job instead of over an hour drive from his old apartment.

Dak dangled the keys in front of James' face and grinned. "I know you didn't pay much attention to the pics I sent, so I'll warn you now, it's a work in progress." He unlocked the door and gestured for James to go first.

 _How bad could it be?_

The front door led straight into a kitchen, which, while unusual for modern houses, perhaps wasn't for a house this old. "Was this place the old farmhouse?"

Dak set the keys on the large wooden table set in the middle of the room. "Um… I'm not sure. It wasn't sold off with the rest of the land, so maybe not? My dad said it was originally built in the 1600s or something like that, but parts of it had been rebuilt and extended a few times. I honestly have no idea." He shrugged and wandered out through the door at the opposite end of the room.

James stood and looked around the kitchen. It was a good size, with plenty of cupboard space. He eyed the Aga that took up most of one wall. Hopefully there were instructions somewhere because he had no idea what to do with that thing.

"Hey." He walked towards the doorway where Dak had disappeared. "What's with the cooker?"

"Oh, that came with the place. I told Dad to leave it." He poked his head around the doorframe. "Can't be that hard to figure out. Anyway, forget about that for a minute." He grinned, his brown eyes alight with excitement. "Come and see what I found."

James followed him out the kitchen, past the staircase and the closed door on the right, into another good-sized room. No furniture in it yet, the walls were in need of painting, and the carpet had to go, but other than that, it was nice. Cozy. "I take it this is the living room?"

"Yeah, but come over here." Dak beckoned him to another entranceway at the far right-hand corner of the room.

It led into a sort of sunroom that backed onto the garden with wide newly installed french doors. Sunlight streamed in through the glass, and James walked over to open them and let in some of the fresh summer air. "Oh wow, this is great."

He stood and breathed in, the scent of freshly cut grass filling his nose. Someone had been over and tidied up the lawn, but everything surrounding it was a riot of weeds, flowers, and out-of-control bushes. But it was an outdoor space, and after two years in a one-bedroom apartment, James was kind of desperate to have a garden. He was already picturing the barbecues they could have.

Dak stood next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "It is, but there's something even better over here."

He steered James over to the right of the room and stopped in front of another door. From its position, James guessed it was underneath the staircase, maybe a cupboard. There was something odd about it, but nothing James could put his finger on.

"It's weird, right?" Dak asked.

James nodded in response and cocked his head to one side. "I don't know why, though."

"Me neither. I didn't even notice it in the photos my dad sent me, but when I walked in, it was there. And guess what?" Not waiting for James to answer, Dak reached for the door handle and pulled. "It's a cellar!"

Stepping a little closer, James could only see the top of some steps and then darkness beyond. The damp smell emanating from the gloom made his nose wrinkle. "Is there a light switch?"

They both looked around but saw nothing. "Maybe it's on the outside?" Dak gently nudged James back and closed the door a little to see behind it. "Aha!" He flicked it on, but nothing happened. "Shit." Then he flipped on the flashlight app on his phone and shone the light downwards.

James scoffed. "Yeah, that doesn't look creepy or anything."

The light lit up the path to the bottom of the steps, but no further. Everything else remained in inky blackness. "No way am I going down there without the lights working."

"You're such a spoilsport."

James ignored him. "Do you think there are any spare light bulbs around?"

"Doubtful." Dak said as he shone the light up at the ceiling, having to go down a couple more steps to find the bare bulb hanging down.

"You know, I'm not sure what your dad was thinking, letting us loose in a house that needs DIY."

"It's one light bulb. I'm sure we can manage that." Dak turned his phone off and followed James back up the steps and out of the cellar.

James rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean." Neither of them were that handy. Well, that wasn't completely true. They didn't really know if they were handy or not since they hadn't ever really had the need or opportunity to get their hands dirty. James saw a ton of DIY books in their future.

"Whatever. We'll just have to learn." Dak said as James pushed the door shut.

"We can investigate down there later when we've been to the store and have more light bulbs. There's a shitload of stuff to be done first."

Dak groaned. "God, I know. What time are they coming?"

"About one o'clock. My mom said she'd pick yours up on the way. I promised them we'd at least have emptied everything from the van by then."

Dak's dad had had the whole house professionally cleaned once the previous tenants moved out, so all they had to do was move their own stuff in. A lot of the furniture was on order since they didn't have much between the two of them, the rest of it and everything else was in the van and the back of James' car.

XxX

Two hours later they were both sweaty and exhausted, but both the van and James' car were empty. The sun was out in full force, and James went through the house, opening windows to try and get some more air flowing through.

He sat on the bottom step of the stairs and picked at the peeling wallpaper. "It's a shame we couldn't get access at the start of the summer. It would have been nice to get some of it decorated before we moved in."

"Yeah." Dak leaned on the wall next to him, stripped down to his shorts in the heat. "Dad tried, but the guy who owned it wouldn't budge on the date. What can you do?"

James shrugged. It didn't matter. They were in, and that was all that mattered. "We'll just have to work around everything, I guess. It just looks so old, and...well, a little creepy." The decor was dark and foreboding in some of the rooms, and who knew what was in the cellar. He glanced up and grinned. "No offense against your dad's taste in houses, obviously."

Dak chuckled. "Obviously."

He squeezed in next to James, and James grimaced as Dak's sweaty skin brushed against his arm. "Nice. Just what I wanted. To be covered in your sweat." James said dryly.

"You know you love it, don't lie." Dak leaned back on the steps and sighed. "You're right, though. It is a bit creepy at the moment, especially the cellar."

James hummed in agreement, his gaze catching the flat, toned plane of Dak's stomach. They'd been there, done that, and thankfully survived the encounter to remain best friends. He could still appreciate the view, though. When his gaze landed on Dak's face, he narrowed his eyes. "I know that look."

"What?"

"Don't try and look innocent now. I know you. That was your 'plotting' face." James shuffled around to face him better. "Spill."

Pushing up on his elbows, Dak's smile widened. "We need to have a housewarming party, right?"

"I suppose."

"So… Halloween is right around the corner, and we already agreed the house is a little creepy…"

James immediately shook his head. "No."

"Awww, come on, Jay. It'll be fun."

"Absolutely not. Halloween's two months away. Isn't that a little late for a housewarming party? And don't you want to get some of the house sorted before then?" Dak seemed undtered. "Besides, it's not like we celebrate it all that much. People will think it's lame."

This time Dak just laughed at him. "Firstly, our friends will jump at the chance to dress up, and you know it." Fine, James would have to concede that point. "Secondly, everyone loves a party. And thirdly, no, I don't think two months after moving in is late for a housewarming party. People expect you to get settled in first." He sat up and nudged James' shoulder. "We can decorate the cellar with cobwebs and spiders. It'll be great."

James rolled his eyes, but his lips curved up into a smile at Dak's ethusiasm. "We probably don't need much decorating. I bet it's full of cobwebs and spiders already." He shuddered just thinking about it.

"Even better."

There seemed to be little point in arguing. Dak had his mind made up, and there wasn't much one could do once Dak decided on something. And it wasn't that James didn't like a good party, he just preferred them at someone else's house. "Fine." He sighed.

"That's the spirit!" Dak jostled him as he stood and held out a hand for James. "Anyway, there's plenty of time for sorting that out. For now, let's go set up the TV. Hockey's on later."

James sighed again as he let himself be pulled up. "Lead the way."

* * *

 **Done! So, like I said, a shorter chapter. This was mostly just meant to introduce James and Dak and to show a bit of them moving into the house. This chapter along with the last one was basically the introduction to everyone. Things really start moving forward next chapter.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on last chapter as well as the prologue! I'm also glad you all seem to like the new writing style. :)**

 **The next chapter will be longer, and I'm hoping to have that up sometime this weekend, Monday at the latest.**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N: Hello everyone! It's that time again!**

 **Before we get started, I wuould like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Guest, and Side1ways for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Sunday morning dawned bright and clear, the summer sky a cloudless blue that put a smile on Kendall's face as soon as he opened the curtains.

Katie was already up and dressed when he walked into the kitchen, and she smiled up at him over her coffee. "I was thinking I might stay here and help Kelly in the shop. It doesn't take two of us to spy on the house."

"It's not spying, it's research."

"Whatever. Both of us don't need to go, and I wouldn't mind catching up with Kelly. I can ask her if she's ever heard the name Zevon. Could be worth it, in case there's any other relatives close by we need to be aware of."

"Good idea." He started a pot of coffee and set two pieces of bread in the toaster. "You should tell her that Dad sold the house, too."

"Ugh. Thanks for that. You know how she feels about him. I'm going to have to suffer through at least a ten minute rant if I bring him up."

Kendall grinned and ruffled her hair. "Sucks to be you."

"You're such a child sometimes." She grinned back, though, and then stuck her tongue out at him. "Since you're already making coffee, would you make me another cup, too?"

He groaned but got two mugs out of the cupboard.

After breakfast, Kendall and Katie parted ways at the foot of the stairs, and he stepped out into the fresh air. Heat greeted him, but the early hour helped keep the temperature comfortable. Their old house wasn't too far away, so Kendall decided to walk. It would give him time to check it out externally as he wandered past, and also serve as his exercise for the day.

Thirty minutes later he reached the familiar lane where the old farmhouse stood. Once surrounded by fields, it now led into the heart of a vast housing estate. Not that Kendall could really remember the fields and the working farm-he'd been really young when the land was sold-but his mom had kept framed photos of it on the walls, and he'd seen those plenty of times. One of those pictures now sat in the loft above his apartment, but he wondered what his dad had done with the others.

Dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, Kendall wasn't exactly hot, but a lone trickle of sweat ran down his back as the sun got higher and warmer. He pulled at the material that stuck to his back flapping it to get a little air up there, and walked along the lane towards the gate just visible on the right-hand side.

Memories flooded his mind as he got closer. He hadn't been back once since he and Katie fled that night seven years ago. They'd taken everything they needed, and anything forgotten was left behind. The same wooden gate marked the entry to the driveway. It looked a little worse for wear, but Kendall remembered swinging on it when he and Katie were little.

Two cars sat on the gravel driveway. Kendall guessed one was the dad's and the other belonged to Dak, which answered the question of who'd picked up the keys from the real estate agent.

"Hi."

Kendall jumped, startled, and turned to face the stranger jogging towards him. Tall, lean, wearing black running shorts and a bright blue T-shirt, his brunet hair stuck to his forehead in a sweaty mess. He came to a stop in front of the gate and leaned on it, breathing heavily. "Sorry...just need to...catch my breath."

"A little hot for running, isn't it?" Kendall's gaze ran the length of the strangers body and he flushed as he caught himself.

"I don't mind. Can I help you with something?" The guy then proceeded to lift the bottom of his T-shirt and wipe his face with it.

"Um." Kendall swallowed. The flat, toned stomach on display reminded him of how long it had been since his last boyfriend. Although he used that term loosely. "Do you live here?"

The guy nodded. "Yeah, I just moved in."

 _Oh_. So either Dak was living with his parents, or his dad had left his wife and moved in with a hot younger guy.

The guy narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kendall closely. "Why do you ask?"

The 'Sold' sign lying just inside the gate on the ground caught Kendall's eye. He smiled and attempted to look sheepish. It was always best to stick to the truth where possible, so he said, "Sorry, I was just curious. My sister and I used to live here, and when we heard it'd been sold, we wondered who'd bought it."

The guy frowned at him and cocked his head to one side, clearly suspicious.

Kendall needed to nip that in the bud. He wouldn't get any information if the guy thought he was a crazy stalker. "God, I'm not explaining myself well at all. My dad was the one who sold it to you. The place was in my family for generations. I haven't spoken to my father in seven years. So when we found out he'd sold the house, it was a bit of a shock, and I guess I just wanted to see who'd bought it. I don't mean to come off as weird or anything." He smiled and stuck out his hand. "Kendall Knight."

The guy smiled back, took his hand in a grip that was somehow firm and gentle at the same time, and shook it. "James Diamond. And it's a little weird, but lucky for you I'm okay with that."

Kendall managed to hide his surprise at the name. Not Dak, then. So who the hell was he? Kendall had only been kidding about Dak's dad having a boy toy. "Do you live here on your own?" He realized too late how that sounded. "I mean…"

James raised an eyebrow but didn't seem all that bothered by Kendall's obvious come-on. He hadn't meant it like that, but… "Shit, sorry. I'm usually more subtle than that." He smiled and gestured at James' attire. "You only have yourself to blame. I can't be expected to think properly when you're standing there looking like _that_."

Or maybe he wasn't all that subtle, after all.

James glanced down at himself. "What? A hot, sweaty mess?" He plucked the material away from his chest where it had stuck to him like a second skin.

"Yes. Exactly." Kendall grinned and James laughed softly, a faint blush covering his cheeks.

Getting information was turning out to be a lot more fun than Kendall had imagined. "So, _do_ you live alone? Or is someone going to come out and tell me to get lost any second? If you don't mind me asking, that is?"

James studied him for a second, his hazel eyes intense as they sized him up. "As it happens, I don't live alone."

"Oh." Kendall didn't know why he was so disappointed. They'd only just met, for fuck's sake.

"But Dak's my best friend, not my boyfriend. His dad bought the house as an investment, and he's paying him back. I'm just helping Dak pay the rent." James smiled, and Kendall smiled back, relieved.

A thrill of excitement shot through him at the thought of James being available and quite clearly interested, judging by the amount of information he'd just offered up. It took a good few seconds for Kendall to realize what James had actually said. "So, just the two of you live here, then?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's a three-bed house, but the third is too small for a double bed. We're using it for storage at the minute, and I don't think Dak's keen to share with anyone else, anyway."

"Sorry, it's none of my business. My sister always tells me I'm too nosy for my own good."

Which was a lie, Katie was the nosy one. But it had the desired effect.

"I don't mind." James smiled at him, glancing over at the house before rubbing at the back of his neck.

An awkward silence loomed between them.

"Can I get your number?" Kendall blurted. "I realize you don't know me at all, but I'd really like to change that."

James' smile widened. "I'd really like that, too." He rattled off his number, and Kendall entered it into his phone.

"I'm trusting you not to give me a fake number." Kendall said, looking up from his phone to meet James' gaze.

"I guess you'll just have to use it and see."

Kendall grinned. "I guess I will." He couldn't stand there ogling James any longer without looking like a total creep, so Kendall slid his phone into his pocket and took a step back from the gate. "I'll leave you to your unpacking or whatever you've got to do in your new house."

"Thanks." James unlatched the gate and swung it open. "I guess I'll talk to you soon."

With one last smile, he went through the gate and closed it behind him, then walked towards the front of the house.

As nice as the view was, and those shorts clung to James' ass in the best possible way, Kendall turned away and started back the way he came.

The sun was high in the sky now, and it beat down on him unmercifully. The walk home was going to be far less pleasant than the walk away from home, but Kendall found that he didn't mind as much as he normally would have.

James' eyes, his smile, his… well, his _everything_ kept a grin on Kendall's face for the whole walk home. He entered the bookshop and sighed when the cooler air washed over him as he sought out Katie.

"What are you doing?" He looked down at his sister, perplexed.

She was sitting on the floor in front of the paranormal nonfiction section, with her legs stretched out and a book in her lap. "Reading."

"Well, obviously." He pointed at the book. "What book is it, and why are you reading it on the floor?"

"Because it's a slow day and I was bored." Sighing, she tilted the cover so he could see.

 _The Knight Witches._ Kendall snorted. "Really?" His grandmother had laughed at the book every time she saw it. Full of lies and embellishments, she'd said.

"I know, but not everything in it is crap. Mom said it was written by her great-aunt and that there was a lot in it that was true, despite what Grandma said. Grandad agreed with Mom, and he should know. They were his family, after all, not Grandma's."

Kendall glanced down at the cover again. The three witches on the front cover were supposedly Isaac Knight, his brother Alexander, and on of their sisters. Agnes or Anne or something, Kendall could never remember. "Hmm…maybe."

Katie grinned up at him. "You know, you look a lot like Isaac."

Kendall laughed. "That's just a book cover. I'm sure that's nothing like what he actually looked like."

"I'm not talking about this, you idiot. Grandad had that painting in the attic. You know, the one supposedly passed down through generations of Knights."

It rang a bell, but it had been at least ten years since Kendall had seen it. His grandad had died the year before his mom, and his grandmother was now in the local nursing home. "I wonder what happened to it?"

Frowning, Katie closed the book and held out her hand for Kendall to help her up. "Didn't Mom and Kelly take everything from Grandma's house before it was sold? One of them must have it."

"Kelly must have it, then. I don't remember it being with Mom's stuff."

Katie brushed some lint and dust from her jeans and tucked the book under her arm. "Never mind all that. Did you go to the house?"

"Yeah." His cheeks heated as he thought of James all hot and sweaty in his running gear.

"And?"

He shrugged. "The dad might have bought it, but he isn't living there. His son and his best friend just moved in."

For some reason, he was reluctant to tell her about James, and he left it at that.

"You're blushing. Did you meet Dak? Was he hot? Did you have to flirt with him to get a look at his wrist? Is that why you look so guilty?"

"Shh!" He glanced quickly around the shop, but it was still empty apart from Kelly manning the till. "I didn't meet Dak, I met James." Kendall smiled as he said the name, and Katie pounced.

"Ooh, _James_." She batted her eyelashes and laughed when he pinched her arm.

"Stop that. What are you, twelve?"

"Oh come on, you're no fun these days." She walked back towards Kelly and Kendall followed.

Kelly was their mom's best friend, but throughout the years, she become family to Kendall and Katie and was like their best friend as well. They'd been close for a long time now. Kendall knew from his mom that Kelly had been there for her whenever she needed support. Kelly never hesitated to step in and help them when they needed her, and Kendall loved her fiercely. So did Katie.

As a result, they had no secrets from each other.

Kelly's welcoming smile warmed him, and he pulled her into a tight hug, leaning over the counter to do so.

"Ugh!" She groaned as soon as she put her hands on his back. "You're all sweaty! Let go of me."

Kendall laughed and squeezed her tighter. "It's good to see you too. Yes, we had a great holiday, thanks for asking."

"I would ask if you'd let me get a breath in. And yes, everything went fine in your shop, in case you were wondering."

When he finally let her go, she slapped him on the arm and grinned at him.

"Thanks for looking after everything." Kendall said, smiling back at her.

"Anytime."

He nodded to the door at the back of the shop. "Is it okay if we go up to the apartment for a bit? I need to talk to Katie about something."

"Of course." She looked between the two of them. "Problem?"

He sighed. "I don't know yet. Maybe?" He didn't want to get into it in the shop where anyone could walk in. "Did Katie tell you about the house?"

Kelly nodded as Katie huffed. "Of course I did. As soon as she set foot in the door."

"Well, it's to do with that. Come up after closing, and we can talk over dinner."

"Sounds good." Kelly said in response. "Now get out of here. I have customers to charm." Sure enough, the bell above the door sounded, and two girls walked in.

Kendall left her to it, ushering Katie out the near door and upstairs to their apartment.

"Okay, I'm all ears. What happened at the house?" Katie asked as she settled herself in the corner of the couch and looked at him expectantly. "And don't leave anything out."

With a sigh, he sat next to her and told her everything, word for word. She waited patiently, not interrupting once, which made him nervous. Katie _always_ butted in. Keeping her mouth closed was almost a physical impossibility for her. But when he'd finished, she sat there looking at him and not saying a word.

"Well?" He said, stretching his leg out and poking her in the thigh.

"Ken…" She bit her lip, uncharacteristically hesitant.

"What?"

"Nothing, never mind." She said, shaking her head. "Are you still going to take Chandler to the vets to get a look at Dak?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?" He poked her again, digging his big toe in until she smacked his foot away.

"Ow! I was just asking."

"What were you going to say before that?"

She opened her mouth again, then shut it. Then she opened it again.

"Just spit it out." He said.

"Fine." She drew her feet up onto the couch and twisted to face him. "You like James, don't you?"

"Yeah. I told you he seemed like a nice guy, and he was hot." He narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong with that?"

"Are you going to see him again?"

Kendall bristled. He didn't need Katie's blessing to go out with someone, but he didn't like feeling she didn't approve. "I was hoping to, yeah. Is that a problem?"

She fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with the whole conversation. Well, good. That made two of them.

"It's just…"

"Just what?" Kendall asked, irritation creeping into his voice at her continued avoidance.

"Do you really think you should? It's not like you happened upon him by chance. You were essentially spying on them, and-"

"I wasn't _spying_. I told him the truth." Katie raised her eyebrows at that. "Okay, most of it. I told him that we used to live there, that Dad sold it, and that we were curious about who'd bought it."

"Okay. But what is he going to say when he finds out you went to the vets' where his best friend works?"

"Nothing? It's just coincidence."

"And when he discovers Chandler's not ever your cat?"

"How is he going to find that out?" Katie sat there and stared back at him, not saying anything, but her expression was expectant. "What?"

"If you're starting out with lies, it's not going to end well."

Kendall sighed in frustration, his earlier good mood fading rapidly. "I've spoken to him once. It's not like I'm proposing marriage." Katie had good intentions, but she was starting to get on his nerves. "I'll say that the cat isn't mine, but I'm bringing him for a friend of mine. There, no lies."

"But you're still-"

He stood abruptly, needing to get some space between them. "Stop, okay! I know you mean well, but I just met the guy. As soon as I get a look at Dak and see that he has the mark, then that's all done and everything's fine. It's not a big deal. Besides, James and me might not even hit it off. We could be polar opposites, for all I know. But I want to find out."

Running a hand through his hair, Kendall closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. Did he feel guilty about all this, was that why her words bothered him so much? _Fuck._ "Look. I won't ask him out until this thing with Dak is sorted. Happy?"

"I'm not trying to spoil your fun, you know." She said before reaching for his hand, and he let her take it, twining their fingers. "I just don't want you to develop feelings for him and then have all of this come back to ruin it further down the line."

"It won't."

She didn't look convinced but let it go. _Thank God._

Kendall didn't like the feeling he was doing something deceitful. Checking for Dak's mark was in everyone's best interest. Isaac and Alexander's story was one their mom and their grandad had told them over and over. It was the one thing about their history that Kendall believed wholeheartedly, but that was due to the dreams more than anything else.

If Dak knew what that mark prevented, he'd be thankful he had it and would show Kendall without hesitation.

Not that Kendall had any intention of telling him. Was that deceit? For fuck's sake, why was everything so complicated? All he wanted to so was make sure the house was in safe hands and that both James and Dak were safe and then maybe take a hot guy out on a date. What was so wrong with that?

Absolutely nothing. He could do both.

"I'm going to the store. We're out of milk." He needed fresh air and to get away from Katie's knowing looks.

"Get some more coffee and creamer while you're at it." She shouted after him.

He grunted an acknowledgement and headed out the door.

* * *

"Who was that?"

James paused just inside the doorway to slip off his shoes. "Who?"

Dak narrowed his eyes. "The hot blond guy you were just fawning over outside."

"Oh, you mean Kendall?"

"If that's his name, then yes, obviously."

"His name's Kendall Knight, and his dad used to own this house before selling it to your dad. He used to live here, said it'd been in his family for generations. And I was not _fawning_ over him."

"You seem to know a lot about him."

"He was chatty." James said, trying not to blush, but he knew it was a lost cause when Dak's grin widened.

"Wow. We've been here less than a day, and you've already got yourself a date. I'm impressed."

"Oh, fuck off. We were just talking."

"Mm-hmm." Dak leaned back against the kitchen counter studying him. "Did you get his number?"

"No."

"Did you give him _yours_?" James paused and Dak laughed, pointing a finger at him. "So I was right!"

"Fine! He asked for my number and I gave it to him. What's wrong with that?"

Dak held his hands up. "Nothing at all. If I'd seen him first, I'd have given him mine."

He winked, and James grinned at him before asking, "So, you got a good look at him, then?"

"Oh yeah." Dak gestured to the open patio doors. "Why do you think they're open?"

"I didn't even hear you come out." James turned and leaned out of the doors. Sure enough, you could see the gate from there if you tried hard enough.

"That's because you were too busy with Kendall."

"Yeah." No point denying it, he had been busy getting an eyeful of Kendall as he smiled and flirted. "He was hot, wasn't he?"

"Yep." Dak walked over and clapped him on the shoulder, grimacing when his hand came away damp. "Go take a shower, then you can help me strip some of this godawful wallpaper."

James groaned but did as he was told.

When he came out of the shower, he had a text waiting for him.

 _Hi. I have your number, so I wanted to give you mine. Fair's fair after all. -Kendall_

James smiled as he saved it and typed out a reply.

 _Thanks. :)_

 _No problem. Unfortunately, I have to go now. Family stuff. Ttyl._

Okay, then. Short and sweet, but James smiled.

Kendall might be a little strange, but James was good with strange. He walked across the hall to his bedroom with a spring in his step.

* * *

 **Done! So James and Kendall have officially met! We also saw interactions between Kendall and Katie as well as James and Dak.**

 **I would love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **The next chapter will be up a little later in the week, but it shouldn't be too long of a wait for it. :)**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Back again with another chapter!**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to Side1ways, winterschild11, Guest, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Four hours later the hallway had clean walls devoid of paper and several full bin bags sat next to the back doors in the kitchen.

James bent over, resting his sticky hands on his knees with a grimace. "I'm done."

Dak walked out of the kitchen, brandishing two bottles of beer. "Me too." He offered one to James.

"Hang on, let me go wash my hands, they're covered in crap." After getting them as clean as he could be bothered with at the moment, James came back out and took the beer from Dak. "Cheers." He clinked the neck of the bottle with Dak's.

"Cheers."

James straightened and drained half the bottle in one go. "God, I needed that." He said, with Dak humming in agreement. "The place looks loads better, though."

"Yeah, it does. Thanks a lot for helping, by the way."

"No problem. I know your dad owns the place, but I'm living here too. I want to help you make it decent."

They drank the rest of their beer in silence, ending up leaning against the wall.

Dak used his empty bottle to point along the hallway. "It'll look even better when we've painted it."

James nodded. "It will, but please don't tell me you want to start today."

"Fuck no."

They spent most of the holiday doing little things around the house and unpacking the remaining boxes.

Tuesday morning, James was up bright and early but not dressed. He sat at the kitchen table in just his boxer briefs, munching on cereal.

Dak put a mug of coffee down in front of him and frowned. "I hate you so much right now."

James grinned around his spoon. "I go back on Thursday. It's not like I've have a ton of time off left."

"True, but you know everyone there and it's all familiar." Dak waved a hand in the air, and looked more nervous than James had ever remembered seeing him. "I hate being the new guy."

"It's your dad's practice, though, and you've met everyone tons of times."

"Yeah, but that was before. Now I'm both the new hire _and_ the boss's son. That's a shitty combination."

James conceded he had a point there. "Look,"-he set his spoon on the table and met Dak's worried gaze-"it might be awkward at first, there's probably no avoiding that. Just do your job, be nice to the staff, and it'll be fine. They all like your dad, don't they?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Stop worrying." James interjected before studying Dak a little more closely. "You're not normally like this. Is something wrong?"

Dak scrubbed a hand through his hair, a rueful smile on his face. "I just don't want to let him down."

"Your dad?"

Dak nodded. "I know it's stupid. I've done all the training. I'm ready. I know I am. I just wish he was there, just in case."

"The other vet, what's her name?"

"Camille Roberts."

"She'll more than likely be there if you need to consult her on anything. But honestly, Dak, your dad wouldn't let you practice if he didn't believe you were capable. Now get going so you're not late on your first day."

Dak glanced at his watch. "Shit, you're right." He grabbed his phone and keys off the worktop. "Right, I'll see you later. And thanks."

"No problem. Good luck!"

James watched him walk out the door. Dak's dad's practice was only a fifteen-minute walk away, tucked between the dentist and an estate agent in the small shopping area at the edge of the housing estate.

The school James worked at was only five minutes away, up along the pathway that ran beside their house and onto the road. That was both a blessing and a curse. Living so close to work meant no need to get gas for his car quite as often, but he was bound to bump into parents and kids whenever he left the house. Especially if he did his shopping at the new store up the road.

Whatever, he still had two glorious days before he needed to set foot in school, and he intended to make the most of them.

As James finished his breakfast, his mind wandered to thoughts of Kendall, and disappointment settled in the pit of his stomach. Given the interest Kendall had shown in him on Sunday, he'd expected a call or at least a text. Maybe he'd read too much into it.

Sighing, he stood and took his bowl to the sink to rinse out. What a shame. He had to admit, Kendall was hot, and talking to him had been easy, considering they'd only just met. James had felt that spark of excitement at the prospect of a new relationship, but his phone sat silent and unmoving on the table, mocking him. It was entirely possible he'd got ahead of himself again. Just a little.

With a shake of his head, he glared at his phone. "You're not the boss of me." _God, I sound like one of my students._

He left it where it was and went upstairs to shower and get dressed. Halfway through his shower, with his head full of shampoo, he stopped and groaned. He had Kendall's number, of course he did! How had he forgotten? Kendall could quite possibly be thinking the same thing as him.

 _Fuck. I'll call him as soon as I get done with school stuff._

A couple of hours prep today and tomorrow should be enough to make sure he was ready for Thursday. School didn't officially start until Monday of next week, with Thursday and Friday being inset days. Even with the planned training for those days, he should still have time to get into his classroom and get a few things sorted.

XxX

James didn't check his phone again until over an hour and a half later. The screen showed a missed call and two texts.

"Fuck." James snatched it up, rolling his eyes when he realized he'd accidentally left it on silent.

The call was from Dak, as was the first text, but the second was from Kendall. His heart rate picked up as hope blossomed in his chest. Trying to dampen it down was impossible, so James didn't even bother.

The message had only been sent ten minutes ago, and he hurried to unlock his phone and open it.

 _Hi. I was working yesterday, but I'm free this afternoon. Maybe we could go for a coffee or maybe dinner one night? -K_

The message was short and to the point and also put the ball firmly in James' court. He started at the text, wondering how best to reply.

James didn't hide his sexuality, but he didn't go out of his way to flaunt it either. None of his students ever seemed to have a problem, as they were all taught and encouraged to accept others regardless of race, religion, or sexuality. But that only went so far, and there wasn't much they could do about the parents.

No one ever said anything to his face, but he'd had to suffer through a few uncomfortable parent-teacher conferences in the past. He didn't want to bump into any of his class's parents while out with Kendall if he could avoid it. How did he convey that in a text, though? Christ, he didn't want to ruin things before they'd even started.

So he went for the easy option.

 _How do you feel about coming here for dinner on Friday? -J_

Friday seemed ages away, but it'd be nice not to get up early the next morning if things went well. Although Kendall might have work to go to. James had no idea what he did for a living. Or anything else about him, really.

A niggle of doubt tugged at him, and he began to rethink the idea of inviting a total stranger into the house.

They lived on on a new housing estate on the outskirts of town, for God's sake. Two miles down the road were farmer's fields, and the forest was only a five-minute drive. They were virtually out in the sticks, not in some rough part of a city.

 _I need to stop watching so many crime shows_ , James thought to himself. His phone chimed with an incoming text and James snatched it up.

 _Sounds good. What time? And do you want me to bring anything? -K_

James grinned, and warmth spread through his chest.

 _About eight, and beer if you want :) -J_

 _Will do. See you Friday. -K_

When he closed the text conversation, he remembered Dak's message and thumbed through to see what it said.

 _Made it through my first appointment alive! I've got two hours free for lunch, would you mind meeting me? -D_

Dak had sent it at nine thirty, and it was now eleven fifteen. James quickly typed out a reply.

 _Yep, what time and where? -J_

He finished off a little more of his lesson prep, skim-reading over some of the topics they'd be covering this year while he waited for Dak to reply. The text came about ten minutes later.

 _Can you get here for about 12? -D_

 _Yep, see you in a bit. -J_

James tidied his books and notes into a pile on the table and then stood, stretching out his back and shoulders. His spine made a satisfying crack, loud in the quiet of the room.

A quick glance outside told him the weather was still sunny, so he pulled his shoes on and decided to walk. Odds were that Dak would want to stay local for lunch. Probably the diner across the road from the vets', or the cafe two doors down. Either way they wouldn't need a car.

James hummed as he walked down the lane and then through the park. Houses surrounded it on all sides, but the small expanse of green grass, trees, and children's play areas were a welcome break amongst the buildings. He smiled as the sun warmed his face. The clouds dotted throughout the sky took away some of the late August heat, and a cool breeze ruffled his hair as he walked.

By the time he reached the vets, James was relaxed and happy, and totally not prepared to find Kendall sitting in the waiting area. "Oh…"

Kendall looked just as shocked to see him. "Hi."

"Hi." James said, staring at him as he waited for his brain to catch up with his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Clearly he should have waited a little longer. Kendall looked pointedly down at the cat carrier wedged between his feet.

James flushed. "Ugh, that was a stupid question, sorry. I'm just a little surprised to see you here, that's all." He smiled, and thankfully Kendall grinned back.

"Same." Kendall said, patting the seat next to him, and James sunk into it gratefully. "But it's a nice surprise."

"Yeah, it is." James said. In danger of blushing even more, James crouched down to see into the carrier. Inside sat a cream colored cat with slightly pointed ears and bright blue eyes. "Oh wow, he's a beauty. It _is_ a he, right?"

"Yep. His name's Chandler." Kendall lifted the carrier up onto his knee for James to get a better look. "He's a Siamese-Bengal cross. Soft as grease, temperamental, and spoiled rotten."

As is to prove Kendall's point, Chandler howled loudly and fixed James with such a put-upon expression, it made him laugh. "Not too keen on the vets', then?"

"No, not really."

James poked his finger through the front gate on the carrier. Chandler immediately rubbed up against it and then nibbled on the end. "Who are you seeing?"

He let Chandler nibble on his finger a bit longer and then sat back in his seat, focused on Kendall.

Now it was Kendall's turn to blush, and James regarded him curiously. "What?"

"We're seeing Dak Zevon. He's the new vet, apparently." Kendall said, wincing as he met James' gaze. "A friend of mine made the appointment this morning-Chandler is her cat, not mine-and I didn't make the connection until I got here. She usually sees Camille Roberts. I figured Dak must be your housemate, since I know Scott Zevon bought the house and he's part-owner of the business. I'm really not stalking you, honest."

Kendall looked a mix of hopeful, worried, and embarrassed.

James stared back at him. He hadn't even though anything of it until Kendall brought it up, but now a tingle of uncertainty crept up his spine. Before he could reply, the door opposite them opened and Dak popped his head out.

"Chandler?" Dak said, his gaze landing on James and Kendall, and he smiled as Kendall started to stand. Turning to James, he mouthed, "I'll be about ten minutes."

James nodded, and went back to watching Kendall as he stood up and took Chandler with him.

Kendall glanced back at James over his shoulder and smiled, somewhat tentatively. "So, I'll see you Friday, yeah?"

 _Oh God, dinner_. But James smiled back. "Yeah, I'll see you at eight." He waited for the door to close before standing and wandering over to the reception desk, his smile widening when he saw who sat behind the counter. "Hey. I didn't know you worked here."

Ciara Smith was friends with his mom, had been for years. She was part of the book group his mom met up with once a month, and James had known her since he was sixteen. So had Dak, by extension.

He leaned his elbows on the counter and grinned. "Mom never said anything, and neither did Dak."

Ciara smiled up at him, her brown hair was safely tucked away in a ponytail. "I'm just temping while one of the admin staff is on maternity leave." She glanced at the closed door where Dak and Kendall were, then lowered her voice. "I think Dak was glad to see a friendly face this morning. He looked a bit nervous, bless him."

James grinned. "Yeah, he was a bit. How's he doing?"

Ciara rolled her eyes. "Oh fine, you know Dak. Charmed all the staff with his banter and endearing smile and had two old ladies swooning over him when they came out of his room. He'll be super busy once word gets out, I'm sure."

Speaking of pet owners… James bit his lip, unsure how to ask his question without getting immediately shut down or looking suspicious. Were vets even allowed to give out owner details? James had no idea. He glanced over his shoulder and pointed at Dak's door. "Did you see the cat that just went in there? If I was going to get one, I'd want one of those."

"Chandler?" Ciara asked, with James nodding in response. "Yes, me too. Although I'm not sure how the dogs would cope. From what I gather, he's a bit of a princess. Kendall was telling me he gets upset and loud if you don't lay him enough attention."

"Kendall, or the cat?"

"The cat, obviously." Ciara gave him a withering look.

"Yeah, he didn't seem too impressed with being at the vets'." With what had to be the most tenuous link in conversation, James asked his question. "Is this his first time here?"

Ciara's eyes narrowed as she fixed him with a stare so much like his mother's it made him squirm. "James Diamond, are you asking me to give you personal information on a boy you like?"

"He's not a boy, he's a man." She continued to glare at him. "Okay, fine. Yes, I was. Sorry."

Ciara smirked at him, and he suddenly felt very much like his sixteen-year-old self. "Well, I can't give you details, obviously, but the cat's a regular visitor. I don't know about Kendall as I've only just started." The phone rang just as the door to Dak's room opened. "You could just ask him yourself." She whispered before picking up the phone.

Ciara didn't need to know that James already knew Kendall. Well, sort of. But finding out the cat was registered here and this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing made him feel loads better.

He walked back to where he'd been sitting before and plonked down into the bench seat.

After thanking Dak, Kendall smiled at James. "Hey. Sorry to keep you from your lunch." Dak had shut the door again, no doubt to update his notes before they left. "Dak said you were here to meet him."

"That's okay." James stood, and the two of them looked at each other awkwardly. He suddenly felt guilty for thinking Kendall was a creepy stalker and hoped it didn't show on his face. Chandler chose that moment to howl, loudly and pitifully, breaking the tension between them. James could have kissed the cat. He grinned, relieved when Kendall grinned back. "He's still not impressed, then?"

"No. I better get him home." Kendall said before reaching out and slipping his fingers around James' wrist. "I guess I'll see you around, then."

That one innocent touch set James' blood on fire. The press of Kendall's fingers ignited something in the pit of his stomach. "Yeah, I guess you will."

James' smile was huge now, and he probably looked like a grinning idiot, but he couldn't help it.

As soon as the outer door closed behind Kendall and Chandler, someone cleared their throat. James spun around to find Dak leaning against the door frame, watching him.

"Aww."

"What?" James asked, glancing around the waiting room, but they were alone. Well, apart from Ciara.

"You two are so cute together." Dak said, fluttering his eyelashes as he pulled the door shut behind him, then walked over to tell Ciara he was going out for lunch.

James waited for him to near the door before elbowing him in the ribs and muttering "Fuck off" under his breath.

Dak laughed."He seems like a really nice guy. It was a little weird seeing him in the waiting room after Sunday, but we got to talking while I checked Chandler over. I like him." They crossed the road and headed to the diner across the street. "This okay?"

James nodded. "So he gets the Dak Zevon seal of approval, does he?"

"It's still too early to make a concrete decision, but it looks promising."

"Good to know." James said dryly, dodging out of the way as Dak went to nudge his shoulder.

They walked up to the diner entrance in companionable silence. Dak led the way in and straight up to the counter to order.

"So, what do you think about checking out the cellar when I get back tonight?" Dak asked, turning to face him, an excited gleam in his eyes. "I'm dying to know what's in there, and we need to start planning for our party."

"Halloween is ages away."

"Yes, I know, but I also know _you_. Once school starts, you'll complain that you don't have time for anything, and then October will be here before we know it."

James gave in without too much complaint. He had no other plans for the evening, and he had to admit that he was a little curious about what was down there. "Fine. I'll stop by the store on my way home and pick up some light bulbs."

Dak clapped him on the shoulder. "It's a date." He said, his smile widening as James rolled his eyes.

* * *

Kendall carried the cat carrier back to the car, a series of loud wails emerged from a _very_ disgruntled Chandler. Despite the pitiful noise, Kendall wore a small smile.

Seeing James at the vets' had been unexpected, and for a second he'd panicked, positive James would think he was a stalker or something. But James had seemed happy to see him, especially after his appointment.

He settled Chandler on the front seat of the car and put the seat belt around his carrier. "You liked him, didn't you?" Kendall asked as he poked his finger through the opening and Chandler rubbed against it, purring. "But then, you like anyone who pays attention to you."

Chandler yowled and rubbed some more.

Kendall sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. _Shit, what am I doing?_

Maybe Katie had a point. He liked James, but was this any way to start a relationship? He wasn't exactly lying, more an omission of the truth.

Kendall shook his head. Whichever way he spun it, he had more than one reason to want to get to know James better.

It was a shame Dak hadn't had his tattoo on display. The sooner he verified that Dak had it, the better. Then he could put all this family business to the back of his mind and get to know James properly. But if Dak didn't have the mark, Kendall would have to come clean about everything, and it would all be over anyway.

So, no point in worrying about it until then.

Decision made, he headed back to Kelly's to drop Chandler off.

XxX

"That didn't take long. Usually he puts up a fight when we go to the vets. Refuses to even get out of the carrier. I imagine the flea injection didn't go down too well?" Kelly smiled at him as she opened the door.

Kendall shrugged. "He wasn't too bad."

She bend down to coo at Chandler. "Were you a good boy for the new vet?" Glancing up at Kendall, she raised an eyebrow. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Kendall frowned, then sighed. "Katie told you."

"Of course she did." Kelly poked a finger at his chest. "No secrets, remember? That's what we agreed on after Jennifer died." Her expression softened, and she stood back, making room. "Come in before Chandler starts complaining." Ushering him inside, she then followed him into the kitchen and took the cat carrier from him.

"You poor baby." Kelly set the carrier on the floor and crouched down to open the front. Chandler sauntered out, rubbing his head against her knees as she pet him and vocalized his displeasure. "Come here." She said before picking him up and he immediately crawled out of her arms to drape himself across her shoulders.

"So spoiled." Kendall said, shaking his head and ducking out of the way when Kelly went to slap his arm.

"He's not spoiled. He's just affectionate."

"Mm-hmm."

Kelly grinned at him, then crooked her finger before walking out of the kitchen, Chandler still in place. "Follow me." She said before pausing in the doorway. "I've got something for you."

Curiosity piqued, Kendall hurried after her. "You do?"

She wandered into the living room where three dusty boxes sat opened on the floor. "I was in the apartment earlier looking for some old curtains I stuck there years ago. Anyway, I came across these." She gestured at the boxes. "I think they must have been in my mom's place. I never had a good look in them before now. The top few things were all old school books of mine and Jennifer's, so I just assumed it was full of them."

Kendall crouched down and peered closer to get a better look. All three boxes were open, but as far as he could see, they contained exactly what Kelly described. He straightened. "I'm guessing that's not all that was in them?"

Her eyes shone with a mix of excitement and a hint of sadness, an odd combination that made Kendall wary. "What exactly is it that you've found?" He asked.

Kelly walked over to the coffee table next to the sofa and bent to pick up a book. "This." She held it in front of her so Kendall could read the cover. The Knight Witches. "That's the second time I've seen that book in two days."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Katie was reading it in the bookshop yesterday."

Kelly's smile softened even more as she held the book out for him to take. "But this was Jennifer's copy."

Kendall's chest tightened as he carefully eased it out of her grasp. "Why was it here?" He asked, turning it over in his hands, the cover looked worn, well-used.

Kelly's sigh made him look up. "I don't know. Maybe she forgot it was there. Or maybe-"

"Maybe she hid it from Dad?" Kendall interjected. That was probably more like it, his suspicions shared by Kelly when she nodded.

"Maybe."

Kendall opened the book and skimmed the first few pages. A flash of yellow caught his eye. "She highlighted bits of it."

"And she made notes too." Kelly said, moving closer to him, and Kendall tilted the book for her to see. "Your great-aunt used to tell us stories all the time about Isaac and Alexander. Your mom wrote down the best bits, I think."

Kendall let the book fall shit and held it to his chest. "Thank you."

Kelly put her hand on his arm. "You're welcome. I don't know why it was hidden away in my apartment, but I know she'd want you and Katie to have it."

XxX

Kendall arrived back at the bookshop just after one thirty.

Katie greeted him with a grin as soon as he set foot through the door. "Perfect timing!" She hopped off her stool behind the till and beckoned for him to take her place. "I'm starving. Would you mind taking over for me while I go and get some lunch? I'll get you a sandwich and we can switch in forty minutes or so. Is that okay?"

Kendall smiled. "Yeah, of course. Take your time." He'd left her to mind the shop all morning, it was the least he could do. Not that Tuesday mornings were really busy, but still. She'd been at work, and he hadn't. "Oh, wait a sec."

Katie paused midstep and glanced back at him, curious.

"Kelly gave me this." He held the book up for her to see. "She said she found it in her apartment, tucked in with Mom's old school books."

After staring at it for a few seconds, KAtie smiled and walked back over to him. "You keep it."

"But-"

"I have plenty of Mom's things to remember her by. You should keep this one, Ken."

"If you're sure?" Setting the book on the counter, Kendall waited for her to nod and then drew her in for a hug. "It's got notes in it. Mom wrote down some of her aunt's stories, I think."

Katie held him tight. "You'll have to read it and tell me all the interesting bits, then."

Kendall smiled, giving her one last squeeze before letting her go. "Deal."

* * *

 **Done! So, we got more Kames this chapter, along with more of Dak, Kelly, and Katie!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **I'm so glad that you all are enjoying this so far, and that you all seem to like both Dak and Kelly! The next chapter will more than likely be up sometime this weekend.**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N: Hello again everyone! So, this was supposed to posted over this past weekend, but life got in the way, as usual. But it's finally here!**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a special thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Guest, and Side1ways for reviewing last chapter!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

After they'd both eaten, he joined Katie again, helping sort out a shipment of books onto the shelves. His mother's books were safely tucked away upstairs in his room. The only other person in the shop was busy browsing in the crime fiction section, on the other side of the shop, but Katie still whispered when she spoke.

"So, how did it go at the vets'? Does Dak have the mark?"

"No, I didn't see it. He had bare forearms, so if he's got it, then it's somewhere other than his wrist."

Her gaze dropped to the leather cuff around Kendall's wrist. "I thought you were going to show him yours and see if he recognized it."

"Yeah, I was. But I changed my mind."

"Why?"

He fiddled with the ends of the cuff, feeling uncomfortable under her scrutiny. She knew him far too well to accept anything other than the truth. "Because I'm going to their house on Friday for dinner with James, and it'd be weird if I appeared at the vets where his housemate-slash-best friend works, brandishing a tattoo that just happens to match one that his friend has."

Katie closed her eyes. Kendall imagined her counting to ten inside her head. "I thought you were going to wait until this was all sorted?"

"I changed my mind about that too."

She sighed. "You don't know James, Kendall. Why are you jeopardizing things for the sake of not ruining your date?"

"I know what Mom used to tell us, how important it all is. But I'm sure a couple of days won't make much difference. Even if it was going to, nothing would happen until closer to Halloween, anyway. I can let them see my tattoo when they know me a little better and won't get the wrong idea."

It still sounded wrong when he said it out loud like that, and the expression on Katie's face told him she agreed.

"If you like him that much, why don't you go over there on Friday and just come clean? You need to find out one way or the other. Better to start out with the truth if you honestly think this might lead somewhere."

"Jesus, we haven't even been on one date yet!"

"Yes, I know. And that's why you should tell him now. Before anything happens between you two."

Kendall paused, a book on fly fishing in one hand. He stared at her incredulously. "So I should just march in there and tell him there's an evil witch bound to his house, who also happens to be one of my ancestors. And Dak's too. Oh, and by the way, Dak needs to have an ancient family tattoo to prevent him from being used as a way of breaking the binding spell." He closed his eyes and let out a harsh breath. "I can see him being really interested in me after I spill all that craziness."

"There are other guys, Kendall."

He sighed again and looked over at her. "I know. But I really like _this_ guy."

"Then tell him. If you don't, then after Friday it'll seem to him like you lied. Trust me on this."

He slid the book into place on the shelf and reached for the next one. "I'll think about it."

XxX

That night, alone in his room, Kendall reached into the back of his top drawer and pulled out his mom's book. Reverently running his fingers over the title, the dog-eared and worn edges made him wonder if it had belonged to anyone else before his mother owned it.

The inside cover and first page were bare, no inscription or details of ownership, but throughout the rest of the book, there were highlighted passages. Sometimes just a few sentences, other times whole pages colored over in bright yellow, with notes scribbled alongside.

Now he was curious. Had everything she'd told them been the truth? He'd absolutely believed her when he was younger, but after her death he thought of it more as having aspects that were true. Yes, he definitely thought something in their past required them to have a protective mark, and he believed the story of Isaac sending his brother's soul beyond the veil. But what exactly did the mark protect them from? He wasn't so sure of that anymore.

Could a man really come back from the dead?

Kendall opened the book and began to read.

According to the writer, the Knight family had lived in a small village outside Nottingham. Weirdly, it didn't say which one. He'd asked his mom about that when he was younger, and she'd said that everyone who needed to know specifics already did. He hadn't been interested enough at the time to question what she meant.

The Knights-John and Mary, with their children Isaac, Alexander, Agnes, and Anne-owned a farm.

As Kendall leafed through the pages, two loose sheets of paper fell out. His mother's neat, cursive writing covered both of them.

He read the first couple of sentences. The words sounded too structured to be someone's thoughts, as though she'd copied them from a book or newspaper.

 _Although no proof was ever found, some villagers believed that certain members of the Knight family practiced witchcraft. They were never sick, even when illness swept through the village and nearby farms, taking lives indiscriminately. None of the Knights succumbed, and neither did any of their closest friends or extended family. Their crops were plentiful, and their livestock healthy._

Kendall scoffed. Just because a family was healthy and knew how to run a successful farm, that made them witches? He skimmed again until another highlighted passage caught his eye.

"Where did you get this from, Mom?"

He shook his head, but carried on reading.

 _With both the Knight girls set to be married in the spring, and the youngest boy, Isaac, already courting, attention turned to the eldest brother, Alexander Graham Knight. Outgoing and charming, and always ready to help anyone who needed it, the whole village loved him. With his blond hair and startling green eyes, rumors suggested Alexander could have had his pick of the village girls, but he refused every single one of their advances. Instead he chose to spend all his time with his best friend Liam Oxton, the son of the local blacksmith._

 _The two were inseparable, always happy and smiling._

A cold chill ran down Kendall's spine. He knew all about Alexander Knight from his mother, his aunt, and his grandad. But the Alexander they'd spoken of was evil, the reason for the tattoo on his and Katie's wrists. Not the village's golden boy.

He undid the clasp on the leather cuff and ran his thumb over the symbol. As always when he did that, Kendall swore he could feel something stirring inside him. Except this time it was stronger, like a physical touch over his heart. He shivered and rubbed a hand over his chest.

Kendall set the book down on his bedside table, then stood and stretched. Reading those two pages had unsettled him. Where had those words come from? They were there for a reason, and that was probably because his mother believed those bits to be true. If only she were around to ask.

He sighed and reached for his phone, clicked through to his text, and started typing one to Kelly.

 _Hey. Sorry it's late, but I wanted to ask you something about that book._

 _ **It's 10pm. I'm not 60. And you own a bookshop. You'll need to be more specific.**_

He grinned and settled back against his pillows as some of his uneasiness drained away.

 _Sorry. It's The Knight Witches. The one you gave me today. There were two loose pieces of paper inside it. Did you know about them?_

He hit Send, and waited for her reply.

And waited.

 _Kelly?_

The screen showed the three dots, so she was typing something. Either it was an essay or she kept deleting it.

Either way wasn't good, and Kendall was getting more and more tense with each passing second. He tapped his fingers against his thigh, willing her to just spit it out. Whatever it was.

 _ **Yes.**_

Seriously? She took all that time to type three letters? Kendall scowled at his phone screen and then typed again.

 _Is that all you've got to say? No explanation? The Alexander Knight in those handwritten notes seems a far cry from the evil murderer Mom told us about._

 _ **It's complicated.**_

 _Of course it is. I still want to know._

After a minute or two, she replied.

 _ **Read the rest of the book. I think your mom's notes will explain a lot.**_

 _I'd rather hear it from you. I'll have questions._

She sent an eye-rolling emoji with the next message.

 _ **Of course you will.**_

He laughed. Still, there was no way he would be able to read snippets of the truth and not want to ask about it. If his mom knew the whole story-and judging by the notes and her heavy highlighting, she did-then Kelly would too.

 _Why have you never told me and Katie the whole truth?_

 _ **I didn't think you'd ever need to know exact details.**_

What sort of an answer was that? Why had she and his mom needed to know but he and Katie didn't? For that matter, why did _any_ of them need to know?

Another message came in.

 _ **Look. This is not a conversation I want to have via text. I'll come by Friday night and me, you, and Katie can talk. With wine. Lots and lots of wine.**_

Kendall sighed as he typed out a reply.

 _Can't. I have plans Friday night. How about Thursday?_

 _ **Fine, Thursday it is.**_

 _Okay. I'll tell Katie. Goodnight._

 _ **Goodnight.**_

Thursday seemed ages away. He glanced at the book lying innocently on his bedside table. Maybe he should read more of it? But not tonight, he had to be up early for work. With a resigned sigh, Kendall turned out the light and got into bed.

Unsurprisingly, he dreamt that night. When he woke in a cold sweat the next morning, the images didn't stay with him, but he was gripping his pillow as though his life depended on it.

One name stood out clear as day, though.

 _Isaac._

* * *

They didn't get to check out the cellar on Thursday night. An emergency at the vets kept Dak there till past eight o'clock as he helped Ciara save an injured dog, but on Wednesday night, Dak was home by six and eager to go check it out.

Even armed with proper flashlight this time, the stairs to the cellar were less than inviting, and James found his enthusiasm severely lacking. It still smelt old and damp, as though shut off and forgotten about for years. Taking a strategic step back and to the side, he positioned himself behind Dak. No way was he going down there first.

Dak glanced back over his shoulder, noted James' new position, and raised an eyebrow. "It's like that, is it?"

"You're the one who wants to go down there." James said, waving his flashlight around, illuminating the bottom step but not much more. "It's just so dark."

"Probably because there's no windows down there." Dak said as he put his foot on the first step and paused to look back at James again. He lifted up the pack of light bulbs he held in one hand. "It's going to be okay. As soon as we get one of these in place, it won't seem as bad."

"Yeah, because then we'll be able to actually _see_ all the spiders and whatever else is down there, instead of just imagining it." James said, shuddering at the thought.

Half turning, Dak glanced back at him again. "Shit, I forgot how much you hate spiders. Do you want me to go down and check it out first before you come down?"

 _Yes._ "No, it's fine." James gritted his teeth, and held on to his flashlight tightly. "Lead the way."

Dak walked down the steps, swatting at cobwebs as he went before James could walk into one of them.

"Thanks." James whispered. For some reason, he felt the need to be quiet.

"No problem." Dak whispered back, obviously feeling the same way.

When they reached the bottom, Dak swung his flashlight in a wide arc. "Wow."

The cellar opened up on the left into a massive space. James still whispered. "I didn't think it would be so big."

Dak snickered. "That's what he said."

James rolled his eyes, even though Dak likely couldn't see him, and stepped a little further into the room. Something ran across the back of his neck and he yelped. "Fucking hell!" He brushed frantically at the skin there, dropping his flashlight in the process and trying not to picture hundreds of spiders dropping on him from the ceiling.

Dak's hand on his arm made him jump again. "Jesus, Dak!"

"Sorry! Are you okay?"

"Something was on me."

"Where?"

"The back of my neck."

Dak shone his flashlight there, and James ducked down so he could check properly. "There's nothing there now."

"I fucking felt it." _Oh God, maybe it's fallen down my shirt._ "Check down the back of my shirt!"

He waited, body rigid, as Dak pulled the material away from his back and shone the light inside.

"Nope, nothing there."

"Shit." James closed his eyes for a second and tried to calm his racing heart.

"You must have knocked it off."

"Yeah." That was the only explanation. Well, the only one that didn't make him want to run back up the steps, anyway. "Shit, I dropped my flashlight. Get that bulb changed so we can see what else is down here and then go back upstairs."

Dak shone his flashlight at the ceiling until he discovered the light bulb.

"Hold this." Dak said, passing the flashlight to James and opening the pack of bulbs.

After a couple of minutes on his tiptoes, swapping out the old bulb for a working one, Dak wiped his hands on his jeans and grinned. "Okay. That should hopefully work now." He held out his hand for his flashlight again. "I'll head back up and flip the lightswitch." He took a step towards the stairs.

James grabbed him. "Wait, I'll come too."

No way was he staying down there on his own. To his credit, Dak didn't laugh at him or even make a joke about the situation. He just nodded and let James go first. It wasn't that he was afraid of the dark per se, but dark, underground, and full of spiders and God-knew-what-else? That wasn't exactly somewhere he wanted to spend time alone.

James leaned around the door frame and clicked the light switch on. Light flooded the room below, and Dak yelled behind him.

"Let there be light!" Dak set his flashlight on the floor just outside the entrance to the cellar and went back down the steps, James close on his heels.

Bathed in light from the bulb, the room wasn't nearly as foreboding as before. The floor wasn't teeming with creepy-crawlies, much to James' relief. He felt a little stupid for being so scared in the first place, but he fucking hated spiders. Shaking it off, he stood and took a good look at what was down there.

His flashlight lay about five feet away, next to the leg of an old dresser covered in a thick layer of dust and a few cobwebs. They walked over to it, and James bent to retrieve the flashlight. "How old do you think that is?"

"No idea. It looks fairly old, though. I wonder if the previous owners ever came down here?" Dak said as he glanced at James.

James shrugged. "I can ask Kendall Friday night."

"Yeah, good idea. I'd love to hear about the house's history."

They stood in front of the dresser, seemingly lost in thought, until a cold chill crept down James' spine. He shivered and rubbed his arms. "Someone must have been down here within the last century to install electricity." Dak said.

"Obviously."

"Did Kendall say how long it'd been in his family?"

"No. But I could ask him that on Friday, too."

"Careful, or he'll think the only reason you asked him over was to pump him for information."

James' mind stuck on the words 'pump him.' He flushed. "Yeah…"

Apart from the dresser, a few suspect bottles on the floor covered in dust and cobwebs, and a chair, the room was empty.

Dak frowned. "Well, that's disappointing."

"What were you expecting, exactly?" James asked as he wandered over to get a better look at the bottles but decided against cleaning them off enough the see the labels, which were probably all faded, anyway.

"I don't know. Something more than this though." Dak sighed and pointed at the dresser. "Do you think there's anything in there?"

"Maybe." James followed him over to it and they stared at it for a couple of seconds. The dresser had three drawers, two large ones on either side and a smaller one in the middle. "Open the drawers and have a look." He gave Dak a gentle shove forwards.

The two larger drawers were unlocked but empty. Well, there were a few dead insects in there, but nothing else. The middle drawer was locked. Dak tugged on the handle, but it wouldn't budge.

"Maybe it's just stuck?" James offered.

Dak shook his head. "I don't think so. It definitely feels locked. Do you see a key anywhere?"

James just looked at him, eyebrows raised. He gestured at the dust-covered room.

Dak's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Oh yeah."

"Maybe we can get something to force it open?"

"Such as?"

"Um." James grinned. "I'm sure your dad will know. We can ask him when he gets back."

"That's ages away, though." Dak pouted at he glanced back at the drawer. "Now that we can't get in, I really want to know what's in there."

"Probably nothing interesting."

"Think we can pick the lock?" Dak felt his pockets, for what, James had no idea.

"I don't know. Maybe? I have nothing on me that would even fit in there. Would that even work?"

Dak shrugged one shoulder. "You never know."

"No. And we won't be finding out anytime soon either. Let's go back up and cook dinner. I'm starving."

"Fine."

James turned toward the steps. He tripped over something and fell in a sprawling heap on the floor, banging his head on the dresser leg. "Ow!" He rolled onto his back and gingerly reached up to touch the side of his head. "Fuck, that hurt."

Dak knelt down beside him. "Shit, Jay. Are you okay?"

James' fingers didn't come around bloody, but he felt a nice-sized lump there. "That thing is solid." James said as he glanced up at the underside of the dresser, his eyes widening when his gaze caught on a small object hooked to the bottom of the middle drawer. "No way."

"What?"

"I think I just found the fucking key."

Dak peered underneath the dresser to where James pointed. "Shit."

The key lifted off the hook easily enough. James passed it to Dak, and then he stood and brushed the dust off his jeans and T-shirt. His head throbbed and he touched it again, wincing.

"That bump looks really bad. Do you want to go back upstairs?"

James waved him off. "In a sec. Open that drawer so we can see what's in there first."

"What did you trip over, anyway?" Dak brushed the dust off the key and blew on it for good measure.

"Something down…" As he glanced down and saw nothing but the dusty floor, James' voice trailed off. "Huh. Never mind."

"Ready?" Dak grinned like a little kid as he knelt down and carefully put the small key in the hole and turned. The _click_ of the lock sounded loud in the room, and James found himself grinning in return as Dak glanced up at him.

Dak pulled the drawer all the way out and set it on top of the dresser. Inside sat a rectangular object wrapped in an old yellowed cloth.

James frowned. "A book?"

"Let's see." Almost reverently, Dak pulled the cloth back, revealing a leather-bound book.

Worn and dog-eared, the book looked so old James feared it might fall apart if they touched it.

Dak straightened and met his gaze. "I'm almost afraid to open it."

"Me too." It sounded strange when he thought about it, but nevertheless, James got a weird feeling when he looked at that book.

"It's just a book, though, right?" Dak asked before looking to James for agreement.

"Uh-huh."

With a determined set to his jaw, Dak opened it to the first page. "Oh."

In faded but elegant script were the words 'Property of Isaac Knight.'

James suddenly had a strong urge to reach out and touch it, but he kept his hands to himself. "How old do you think it is?"

" _Old_ -old, from the looks of it." Dak said as he slid his finger under the page and turned it ever so slowly, as if he expected it to rip or disintegrate any second.

The page was blank, though. As was the rest of the book.

James felt a stab of disappointment. "Well, that's anticlimactic."

"Shit. I thought it was going to be someone's diary or something."

"Yeah, same here."

Dak wrapped the book back up, tucked it under his arm, and gestured for James to head to the stairs. "Maybe the ink just faded."

James barked out a laugh. "Yeah. Or maybe it's written in invisible ink and you need something special to be able to see it."

"Shut up." Dak chuckled, pinching the back of James' thigh as he climbed up the stairs. "I might pop into the local library, see if they know who Isaac Knight was. Maybe he was some local guy or something. Oh!"

James stopped at the top and glanced back down. "What?"

"Isn't your new guys' name Knight? You could ask him if he's got an Isaac in the family tree somewhere."

"Why don't I just print off a questionnaire for him to fill in when he gets here?" James asked sarcastically with Dak grinning up at him in response. "No. I'm not bombarding him with questions on our first date. I actually want there to be a second."

"Maybe we could leave it open to where it says Isaac's name and see if he notices."

"No."

"But-"

"Let me just get through Friday night first, okay?" James said, closing the door as soon as Dak followed him out of the cellar. He flicked off the light and leaned back against the doorframe. "I've got a really good feeling about him. I don't want to mess it up."

Dak nodded and patted him on the shoulder. "Okay, I'm sorry. I really do hope things go well. I'll even stay in my room all night, out of your way."

"Thanks."

They set the book down on the counter in the kitchen and prepared to start making dinner.

XxX

Getting up early after so many days off turned out to be as awful as James expected. The shrill blare of his alarm filled the room and jarred him from sleep.

Dak poked his head through the door, toothpaste in one hand, toothbrush in the other. "Turn that fucking thing off. Can't you find something more soothing to wake you up in the morning? That's awful."

James groaned and reached for his phone. "That's the point. If it was soft and soothing, I'd just ignore it."

Dak grumbled and wandered back out.

 _Ugh._ Summer was well and truly over. James covered his face with his hands and tried to get his head back into work mode. Even if there were no kids at school until Monday, he still needed to look as though he knew what he was doing.

By twenty past eight he was showered, dressed, and ready to head out. At least he didn't have to start as early as he would on Monday. Dak joined him in the kitchen, munching on a piece of toast. "So, what do you think of having another look in the cellar tonight?"

"I can't tonight. I wanted to sort out some more boxes before Kendall comes over."

Dak's eyes lit up and he raised his eyebrows. "Planning on giving him a tour? Or should I say 'showing him your bedroom'?"

James sighed. "Hopefully, yes."

"And what time is your guy coming around tomorrow, just so I can make myself scarce."

"Stop calling him that. And 8 p.m." James hadn't heard from Kendall since Tuesday. Maybe he should check to make sure they were still on.

Dak finished his toast and patted James on the shoulder. "Alright, I'm off. Good luck dealing with the dragon, and I'll see you later."

James shouted after him. "If I end up calling her that, I'm going to kill you!" Dak's answering laughter accompanied the sound of crunching gravel as he left. "Fucker."

James grinned as he locked up the house and scrolled through to Kendall's name in his messages, then typed out a text.

 _Hey. Are we still ok for tomorrow? -J_

He pocketed his phone, but it chimed almost immediately.

 _Yep. 8pm? -K_

James couldn't help the grin.

 _Yeah. Looking forward to it. :) -J_

Then he quickly sent another.

 _Anything you don't eat? -J_

 _Mushrooms. -K_

James caught himself humming as he rounded the corner. The school parking lot was already starting to fill up. Lucy's car was there, parked in it's usual spot. Dak's nickname for her- _dragon_ -popped into James' head, and he cursed him silently for ever calling her that. One day it would slip out, and that would probably be the end of his teaching career, because Lucy would kill him.

A couple of teachers were just getting out of their cars as he reached the school entrance, so James waited for them to catch up to him.

"Hey, Logan, Carlos. Good summer?"

Logan smiled at him, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. "Yeah, thanks. Seemed to fly on by, as usual."

"I can't believe it's the start of a new year already." Carlos sighed as he reached for the door. "Well, after we get through these two days first."

James laughed. "Bring on Friday night."

In more ways than one.

* * *

 **Done! So, this was kind of a big chapter. We got a little bit of insight into Alexander, along with the revelation that Kendall seems to be having dreams that have something to do with Isaac. We also got to see James and Dak exploring the cellar (where a couple of questionable things happened) with them finding a seemingly blank book belonging to Isaac.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter will reveal more about Alexander's past, and will also contain Kendall and James' date! And to make up for the late post, it will be up either Thursday or Friday, so you won't have to wait too long for it! :)**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N: Hello again everyone! As promised, I'm back with another chapter!**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Guest, and Side1ways for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

On Thursday night, Kendall was busy in the kitchen when the doorbell sounded. He threw the towel he had in his hands over his shoulder and went to answer it.

"Dinner's almost ready." He said, ushering Kelly inside with a smile.

She grinned back at him. "You cooked?"

"Of course."

"Oh, is that…" Sniffing the air, Kelly closed her eyes and hummed appreciatively. "...lasagna?"

Katie poked her head over the back of the couch as they entered the living room. "Yes. Mom's recipe too."

Kelly's smile was rueful. "God, she was the best cook. Why couldn't I have been born with good cooking genes?"

Kendall laughed as he headed into the kitchen to check on the food. Kelly excelled at many things, but cooking wasn't one of them. Baking, yes. She made cakes to die for, but that was where her culinary talents ended.

The oven timer pinged and Kendall pulled the dish out, setting it on the small table in the kitchen. He put the salad down next to it, and called the others to come and eat.

He bounced his leg under the table all through dinner, a mixture of nerves and anticipation running through him. He'd been a little on edge since finishing that book. And the dreams didn't help. For the last three nights, he'd had the same one. Each time the specifics eluded him, but one name stayed in his head.

 _What the hell does it mean?_

"Kendall?"

He glanced up sharply to find both Katie and Kelly staring at him. They had empty plates. His own food sat half-eaten, and he pushed it away, no longer hungry.

Kelly put a hand on his arm. "Is everything okay? You've been a little off the past couple of days."

Kendall sighed. He wasn't about to tell either of them about his dreams just yet, but maybe he should have told Katie about what he'd read. He'd wanted to confirm it with Kelly first. "I know. It's that book."

"Mom's copy of The Knight Witches?" Katie asked.

"Yes." Without saying anything further, he stood and went to get it from his bedroom.

Katie eyed him as he came back in and handed it to her. She arched one eyebrow. "I've already read it. Plenty of times." She said.

"Not this version. There's a couple of loose papers in the front. Read those first."

Katie opened the book, found the papers, and started to read.

Kendall met Kelly's gaze. "Are all those notes from stories Great-Aunt Mary told you?"

Kelly nodded. "Yep. Well, I think so, anyway. Your Grandad told us a few, but it was Mary who liked to talk about the past. She was proud of your heritage. I know she was in her late seventies by then, but her mind was sharp as a tack. Whether the stories were true or not, she believed every word."

That's what his mom had been like, and her dad too. If the stories had been passed down through the generations, then maybe they were true.

"And in case you were wondering," Kelly added, taking a sip of her wine. "She told us the same stories over and over near the end. But each time they were exactly the same, down to the last detail, as though she was reading them straight from a book."

"Wow." Katie tucked the papers back inside the book and set it gently on the table. "So, Alexander wasn't always a nasty evil bastard, then?" She looked between Kelly and Kendall.

"Not according to Mom's notes, no." Kendall said as he reached for the book, needed to keep it close for some reason.

"Does it say anything else in there?" Katie asked, pointing to where he held it. "About what happened to send him to the dark side?"

"Kendall?" Kelly gave him a questioning look. "Do you want to-"

"No." He shook his head. It wasn't a happy story to tell, and not one he really cared to listen to either. "You go ahead. I'll clear the table." It was impossible not to hear Kelly's voice as she talked, though, and Kendall's heart got heavier with every word.

"According to Mary, Alexander and his best friend, Liam, were lovers."

Katie hummed in agreement. "Clearly."

"Their relationship was secret, obviously. But Isaac knew."

"Oh no, he didn't-"

"No." Kelly cut in. "Isaac kept Alexander's secret. But their father saw the lovers together."

Kendall tried to concentrate on stacking the dishwasher.

"And what did he do?" Katie's voice was quiet, tinged with dread.

"He cornered Alex after dinner one evening. Took him to the barn to talk to him, but Alex was supposed to be meeting Liam that night, so he and his father argued. Alex was desperate to leave, and his father banned him from seeing Liam again."

"Were they both…?"

Kelly sighed. "Alexander was a powerful witch like his brother. His father had the gift, but from what I remember Mary saying, he wasn't anywhere near as strong."

"Did they fight?"

"Not then. Alexander stormed out of the barn, vowing never to come back, and went in search of Liam."

Kelly paused, and Kendall turned to listen to the last part of the story, giving up all pretense of cleaning up.

"Liam wasn't where he was supposed to be. Alexander searched and eventually found him lying by the side of the road, on his way to Alexander's farm. He'd been stabbed and was barely alive."

Katie gasped.

Kendall closed his eyes. His heart ached as though it was his own pain Kelly was talking about.

"Liam died in Alexander's arms, whispering the word 'father' as he passed."

"Whose father?"

"I have no idea. Alex killed them both, Liam's father and his own. He used magic to take their lives, and of course that let darkness into his soul. The Alexander his family had known was lost forever."

"So that's why they did what they did."

Kendall could all too easily imagine the heartbreak Alexander went through, but it didn't excuse his subsequent actions.

"Yes. Because Alex didn't stop there. He killed other's that night, consumed by hate, with blood magic blackening his soul. He killed anyone he even _thought_ may have had something to do with Liam's death. His family had no choice." The scrape of Kelly's chair sounded loud in the sudden quiet of the room. "God, I need more wine after that!"

She shook out her shoulders as though dislodging a weight there. Kendall wondered if she felt as strange as he did at the moment.

Taking the wine bottle off the countertop, he then topped off everyone's glasses. "That's awfully detailed for something that happened almost two hundred years ago. How much of it do you think it true?"

Kelly shrugged. "Who knows? Without being there, I guess we'll never know." She took a big swallow of wine and sighed, holding the glass to her chest. "Mary said Isaac kept a diary that was supposedly passed down through the family. If only we could find that, then we'd know for sure."

XxX

On Friday night, Kendall walked up the path to James and Dak's house, carrying a six-pack of beer. He was still undecided whether to come clean or not. Despite telling Katie otherwise, he'd purposely avoided thinking about it until then. If he told the truth, he'd look like a gullible fool at best, or crazy. Neither of which would encourage James to take this further.

And Kendall really wanted to take this further and see where it went.

The gate was open when he walked up to it, but he paused anyway and took a moment to look at the house in front of him.

It seemed so strange to be back after all these years. Neither he nor Katie had set foot in the place after they left. They'd tried once, wanting to pick up a few things they'd left there, but their dad had replaced the locks. He'd probably done it as soon as they left.

It looked different to how he remembered, yet still familiar. The feeling wasn't entirely pleasant, and Kendall attempted to shake off the weird weight settling in the pit of his stomach as he walked over the gravel driveway to the front door. The French doors to the kitchen stood wide open, and Kendall faltered, not sure whether to go towards those or knock on the front door to the right of them.

"Hey." James appeared at the kitchen entrance, wearing a flowery apron and a grin. "You're early."

"Am I?" Kendall glanced at his watch. Seven thirty five. "Shit, sorry. I guess I walked fast." Christ, what had he been thinking, heading out at that time? A flush worked its way up from his neck as he remembered how eager he'd been to see James again, and how maybe this time he'd get to touch him, hopefully. Maybe...yeah, he needed to stop that train of thought before he embarrassed himself.

James shrugged. "Don't worry about it. It just means you get to watch me cook."

"Oh." Kendall stepped inside the kitchen when James moved and ushered him forwards. "I assumed we'd be getting takeout."

A loud laugh from the opposite doorway made Kendall look over.

Dak stood there leaning against the frame. "Jay hates takeout. Except maybe pizza."

He wore a tight running vest that hugged his body, outlining a flat stomach and toned chest, but that wasn't what grabbed Kendall's attention.

Dak might not have any tattoo's on his forearms, but his biceps were covered with them. Hidden amongst a pattern of black swirls was the unmistakable mark of Isaac Knight's protection rune.

A perfect match to the one on Kendall's wrist.

Dak's was bigger and worked into the other tattoo enough that it looked a part of the intricate whole.

James nudged Kendall, a frown now coloring his features, and Kendall realized he'd probably been staring at Dak longer that was considered polite. Shit, from the tense set to James' shoulders, he definitely had.

James stretched out a hand. "Let me put those in the fridge."

Aiming a wide smile at James, Kendall handed him the beers. "Thanks." He said as he leaned against the countertop. "So, is it Jay or James?"

"Either. I don't mind." James smiled back at him and walked over to stir the pan on the Aga.

"What are we having?" Kendall moved closer to peer into the pan. "Chili?"

"Yeah. I had a taste for it. That okay?"

Kendall nodded.

Dak joined him, watching James cook, and nudged Kendall with his elbow. "He's made guacamole and salsa from scratch too. Going all out to impress you." He winked.

James caught him. "Oh, fuck off. I thought you were going out." He stood holding the wooden spoon like a weapon.

"Okay, I know when I'm not wanted." Dak said, holding his hands up in surrender before scooping up his keys and wallet. "Nice to see you again, Kendall."

"You too. But there's no need to leave on my account." Not that having James to himself wasn't appealing, but he wanted to get a better look at that tattoo, maybe ask Dak a little about it. Kendall still wore his cuff, and he glanced down to make sure his tattoo was still covered. No real need to reveal he had it now that he'd seen Dak's.

Dak patted him on the shoulder and glanced at James. "I don't want to get in the way of Jay's hot date." Dak grinned, and Kendall smiled in response. "Besides, I want to go check in at the practice. Camille's on call tonight and she texted to say they just had an emergency case brought in." He waved to James. "Have fun, you two."

And then he was gone, leaving a slightly awkward silence behind him.

Kendal shuffled closer to James. "Smells great."

"Thanks." He glanced up and met Kendall's gaze.

This close, James' eyes were greener, and Kendall could really make out the specks of amber catching the light. He reminded Kendall of someone, but for the life of him, he couldn't think of who.

James had a few inches on him. When he straightened to his full height, his gaze dropped to Kendall's mouth before flicking back up. And then he leaned in.

Kendall closed his eyes as their lips met, his hands automatically resting on James' biceps. The muscles felt firm under his fingers, and he squeezed to see just how firm they were. An image of James all hot and sweaty in his running gear sprang to mind, and Kendall held on tighter. He wanted to see him like that again, except lying on his bed and with less clothes.

James kissed him slow and deep, teasing his lips apart with a confidence that made Kendall's jeans tighten. He felt James move to grip his waist, drawing him in and then sliding his hands down to cup his ass, and he relaxed into James' body.

When they finally parted, James smiled. "I thought we should get that out of the way. I wanted to do it as soon as you walked in."

Kendall smiled back at him, still a little dazed from the kiss. "You should have."

"Nah. Dak would have moaned or said something stupid and ruined the moment."

Oh yeah, _Dak_. Kendall had already forgotten all about him. His reason for being here in the first place. "Yeah. Good point."

James hadn't let go of him, and Kendall was in no rush to move. In fact, he'd be quite happy to forego dinner altogether.

James shifted slightly to check on the pan, bubbling away on the Aga beside them. His hip bumped against Kendall's groin in just the right way, and Kendall groaned. James glanced at him, then back at the pot of chili, then to Kendall again. He bit his lip, obviously debating whether to speak or not. Kendall was almost one hundred percent sure they were on the same wavelength. "This will keep if you want to-"

"Yes." Kendall interjected before James had even finished speaking. Kendall couldn't care less about food at the moment. He reached up to cup James' face and pull him into a kiss. The angle was a little off, with James half-facing the cooker. The kiss was all messy and desperate and that much hotter for not being perfect.

James gently pushed him back a little, laughing. "Let me switch this off first." He turned to take the pan off the hot ring, and Kendall moved away to give him some space.

Kendall watched the play of muscles in James' bare forearms. They looked strong and masculine, and Kendall was already imagining them pinning him to the bed. Any bed.

"Hey."

Kendall snapped his gaze up to meet James', who was looking at him with such a heated stare that Kendall's fingers curled around the edge of the countertop in response.

The t-shirt James wore hid the taut body underneath, but his jeans clung to his well-toned legs. The denim pulled tight over a bulge that Kendall itched to run his hands over. He swallowed, hoping to ease the sudden dryness in his mouth. "Hey."

James faced him, took a step closer, and Kendall hooked a finger in his belt loop to reel him the rest of the way in.

They slotted together nicely. James widened his stance enough to align their hips, and he placed a soft kiss to Kendall's mouth. "Is this okay?"

"It's more than okay." Kendall said as he slid a hand into James' hair, wrapping his fingers around the strands as he kissed him again.

The countertop pressed into his back, but he didn't care. How long had it been since he'd felt that pull, that urge to take things further? Too fucking long if his eagerness was anything to go by. He rolled his hips, clutching James closer, and moaned at the matching hardness flush against him. "Bedroom?"

The word came out more a plea than a question, but Kendall was feeling pretty desperate to get James out of his clothes.

"This way." James answered, but he didn't move. Instead he kissed along Kendall's jawline, pausing to suck and nip at the skin behind his ear.

Kendall closed his eyes, tipped his head back, and let James do whatever the hell he wanted.

With his mouth at Kendall's throat, warm breath ghosting over wet skin, James whispered, "Or I could just blow you right here?"

"Fuck." Kendall shivered at the thought, but then he caught sight of the Aga out of the corner of his eye. Flashbacks of his mother cooking breakfast there every morning had him shaking his head. "No. Not in the kitchen."

He lifted James' head and kissed him again to emphasize the fact that he didn't want to stop, he just needed a change of venue.

When he pulled back, James looked him in the eye. Trailing one hand down Kendall's front, he then palmed the bulge in Kendall's jeans, cupping his hard cock and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Are you sure about that?"

The heat of his hand and the firmness of his touch sent pleasure coursing through Kendall, a promise of how much better it would get if he let James sink to his knees right there and then. He let out a strangled laugh. "Memories." He managed to get out as James stroked his thumb back and forth over the head of Kendall's cock. The sensations gripped him tight, and he had half a mind so say 'fuck it', but…

"This way, then." James said as he stepped back, taking his magic hands with him.

 _Magic hands._ Kendall bit back a grin.

James arched an eyebrow as he tugged Kendall through the door towards the staircase. "Something funny?"

"No."

"You sure about that?" James turned away and started to climb the stairs, giving Kendall a great view of his ass in jeans that looked far too tight for this weather.

"Absolutely." Kendall said as his gaze stayed riveted to the curve of James' ass cheeks as they climbed the stairs. The bunch and flex of his muscles almost mesmerizing. When James reached the top of the stairs, Kendall finally tore his gaze away and looked up to find him smirking over his shoulder. "What?"

"Enjoying the view?" James' cheeks were tinged with color, but far from appearing embarrassed, he instead seemed to glow with satisfaction.

One more heated look thrown Kendall's way had him hurrying up the last couple of steps. "Very much."

Putting his hands on James' shoulders, he turned him and backed him up against the nearest wall. James hit it with an _oomph_ , his mouth falling open in surprise, and Kendall took full advantage.

The kiss was all tongue, wet and a little sloppy but so hot. Kendall rutted against him until James rewarded him with a groan and two hands on his ass.

"Bedroom's just-" James started before tilting his head to the side as Kendall nipped and sucked his way down his throat. "-right there." He might have pointed to a room next to them, but Kendall was too busy tugging his t-shirt aside to notice. "Come on."

One last kiss to James' collarbone and Kendall pulled back, heart racing as he stepped away and took in James' debauched state. His hair was messy, and Kendall's fingers twitched with the need to get back in there and tug a little more. James' lips were red and puffy, with a faint pink tinge to the surrounding skin from the scrape of Kendall's stubble.

Self-consciously Kendall ran a hand over his jawline, the tell-tale prickle of hair reminding him he should have shaved first.

James laughed. "Have I got beard burn?"

"Maybe a little."

"That won't do at all." James said before grabbing a hold of Kendall's hand before he could form an apology, and dragged him through the door on their right. "Let's make it a lot, then."

James' room was probably very nice, but all Kendall saw was James as he peeled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it to one side. James watched Kendall, his lips curled up at the edges, and slowly unbuttoned his jeans before sliding them off. They caught around his ankles.

James cursed under his breath before shrugging and sitting on the edge of the bed. "You'll need to help me get them off." He leaned back on his elbows. His black boxer briefs clung to his crotch, leaving his cock pushed up and on display like a feast laid out for Kendall's pleasure.

Heat curled in Kendall's groin, and he reached down to adjust himself before closing the distance between them. Carefully he eased the denim over one foot and then the other, anticipation making his fingers clumsy.

"Now you." James said, gesturing with one finger at Kendall as if he could banish Kendall's clothing with a flick of his wrist.

Kendall grinned and undressed with a flurry of movement that was probably far from sexy, but James watched his every move, eyes tracking his hands as they undid buttons and zips and slid down his thighs to push his jeans off. When he stood in just his boxers, James licked his lips, a low, deliberate sweep of his tongue that had Kendall's cock straining against the soft material encasing it.

James shuffled back into the middle of the bed. "Get over here. And get rid of those boxers." He said, taking off his own as he spoke.

Kendall almost fell over in his haste to comply, and one leg got stuck as he tried to take them off and walk forwards at the same time. "Shit."

He laughed as he bent down to free himself, catching James grinning at him when he stood back up. The tension in the room eased a little, and Kendall climbed onto the bed, accepting James' invitation to lie between his spread thighs.

All that warm, bare skin touching him from chest to ankle sent a shiver down his spine, and Kendall closed his eyes for a second just to feel. He had his hands tucked under James' shoulders, with James' arms draped loosely around his neck, so casually as though they'd been doing this for months instead of minutes.

When Kendall opened his eyes again, James smiled, his eyes alight with excitement, but concern colored his voice when he spoke. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Kendall responded before kissing him, unable to resist when James' lips parted on an exhale.

They moved as one, a slow, tortuous rhythm as Kendall rolled his hips and Kendall pushed up to meet him. Cradled between James' strong thighs wasn't somewhere he'd expected to be only an hour into their date, but it just felt so _right_. Easy. Maybe it was the surroundings being so familiar, but Kendall settled into the slow, lazy grind of their bodies with a sense of contentment and possessiveness he'd never experienced on a first date before.

James fit perfectly in his arms, and Kendall gripped him tighter, burying his face in the crook of James' neck. He smelt shower-clean, with a hint of spices from the chili he'd cooked, and Kendall breathed it all in, letting his lungs fill with the scent of him.

"Want to get my hands on you."

James' whisper tickled the sensitive skin just behind Kendall's ear, that spot that turned him to jelly with a little press of teeth of the flick of a tongue. James must have sensed the slight tease of his shoulders because the smile against Kendall's skin was a forewarning for what came next. James nipped at the spot, soothing it immediately after with a stroke of his tongue.

Kendall moaned and dropped his head to rest on the pillow. He pressed harder with his hips, pleased when James' hands tightened on his back, holding him in place with one leg hooked over the back of Kendall's thigh.

"Kendall…" James gave him a half-hearted push.

Kendall relented, rolling onto his side and taking James with him. "Is that better?"

James slipped a hand between them and gripped Kendall's cock, his long fingers wrapping around the shaft with purpose. "Mm-hmm."

 _Oh God._ It was _so_ much better.

James shifted closer, nudging his own hard length in Kendall's direction until he took the hint and reciprocated.

"Yeah." He murmured, not sure if he was agreeing or just encouraging James to keep touching him. Either, both, he didn't care. The sight of James' hand on him was too hot to look away from. Kendall bit his lip, focused on each slide of his fist and every sweep of his thumb as he collected precome to ease the way. Pleasure coiled, tight and imminent in his stomach, spreading quickly, and his toes curled in anticipation.

"Gonna come." Kendall muttered through gritted teeth, and then his orgasm swept through him. He squeezed his hand reflexively and James gasped. A low moan followed hot on its heels as he spilled over Kendall's fingers.

Finally, Kendall let his eyes fall shut, satisfied he wouldn't miss anything now, and rolled onto his back. The room around them was quiet but not silent. Sounds from outside filtered in the room through the open window-a dog barking, a lawnmower in the distance-a surprisingly soothing backdrop to the soft breathing inside. On impulse he reached out until his fingertips brushed against the back of James' hand.

"I hope that's the clean one." James said, the smile evident in his voice. And despite his words, he twined their fingers together without waiting for Kendall's reply.

"Yep." Kendall said, looking over to see James lying there with his eyes closed, as Kendall had just been. Grinning, Kendall reached out and trailed his come-sticky fingers over James' stomach. "This is the dirty one."

Instead of flinching away, James laughed and tugged on their joined hands to pull him closer. "And this is mine." He glanced down the length of Kendall's body, then trailed a clean finger through the mess on Kendall's stomach. Somehow, Kendall had managed to get most of it on himself and not the sheet beneath them. "Well, it is now, anyway."

They lay in companionable silence for a bit longer, holding hands, and the self-consciousness Kendall expected to feel never came. Which was weird in itself. He glanced around the room, recognizing it as Katie's old room from the layout. Nothing else was the same, thank God.

The walls were white, and boxes sat stacked in the corner. Apart from the addition of chocolate-colored curtains, James hadn't done much to it just yet. Apart from…

Kendall leaned up on one elbow to get a better look at the far wall. "Is that a family tree?" Kendall recognized it for what it was right away but blurted the question anyway. What else could it possibly be?

Sitting up all the way, he then turned to James, waiting for him to reply.

James yawned first, stretched, and then glanced over to where Kendall was looking. "Yeah." He smiled, pride etched firmly in place. And no wonder, the thing was huge. It took up most of the width of the back wall.

Kendall had something similar back home, not that he put his out on display anymore. Their family tree dated back to the early 1800s and because it included extended family, it was huge. But then, his ancestors had started it and each generation added to it. He hadn't had to work backwards like most people did-including James, by the looks of things.

Intrigued, Kendall climbed out of bed and wandered over. "How far back have you got?"

Tracing the names and dates with a finger, he followed the line of James' family into the past.

James joined him, slipping an arm around his waist and tucking him against his side. The move was natural, nothing about it felt forced, and Kendall settled with a smile.

"Um… I think on here it goes back to my great-great-great-grandad, who was born in 1868. But I've got a few more added to the one on my laptop."

James started to explain about how easy it was at the start, with most of the information readily available online, but then stopped halfway through talking about checking gravestones. "Sorry." He said, rubbing at the back of his neck and sighing. "I tend to get a bit carried away. I'm sure this is the last thing you want to hear about."

His cheeks tinged with pink as he spoke. He was clearly embarrassed.

"Not true." Kendall said while turning to him, smile in place. He wanted the relaxed James back. "Honestly, I'm just as bad."

"Really?"

James sounded skeptical, so Kendall faced him fully and slipped his arms around his waist, suddenly aware of the fact that they were both still naked. "Yeah. I have something similar back at home."

James' relieved smile lit up his whole face. "Can I see it sometime?" He blushed again, but thankfully carried on talking before Kendall had to come up with an excuse why Dak's name was on Kendall's family tree. "Shit. You must think I'm boring as fuck."

Kendall grinned, and couldn't stop his gaze from darting between the bed and the evidence of sex clinging to James' naked body. "Um… no." Not wanting James to think he was just after sex, he added quickly. "I really like what I've seen so far." God, that sounded just as bad. "Of you, I mean… not your-" He gestured to James' middle, not quite sure what point he was trying to make but failing at it anyway. "Well, that too. Obviously. But…"

He clamped his mouth shut, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, James looked amused rather than put off by Kendall's embarrassing attempts at explaining himself. "Maybe we should go and try that delicious smelling chili you've cooked? I'm starving, and I think it's in our best interest if I find something to occupy my mouth." Kendall said with James just staring at him in response. It took a second or two for Kendall to realize what he'd said. "Um, with food."

"I knew what you meant." James said, the laughter that followed said otherwise, but James' smile stayed in place while he steered Kendall towards the bathroom. "Let's get cleaned up first, though. I'm not too keen on putting my jeans back on with dried come on my stomach."

He glanced pointedly at Kendall, as though it was all his fault.

Which, to be fair, it kind of was. And he'd gladly take the blame for that one.

* * *

 **Done! So, we learned more about Alexander this chapter. We also learned that Dak DOES have the mark. And of course, Kames seemed to hit if off! Although apparently, it seems that James reminds Kendall of someone. But who?**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter will be up...soon. Not exactly sure when...but soon. :P**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	8. Chapter Seven

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Back again with another chapter!**

 **Before we get started, I of course would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Guest, Side1ways, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, now clean and dressed, James set about heating up the chili again and preparing the rice while Kendall sat at the kitchen table, looking on.

"Are you sure I can't help with something?" Kendall asked as he tapped his fingers on the tabletop, looking restless. "I feel bad sitting here just watching you."

James shook his head. That was the second time Kendall had asked in the space of ten minutes. "Let me guess," James started as he flashed Kendall a grin. "You cook a lot at home?"

Kendall laughed. "Yeah. Am I being that obvious?"

"You look like you're itching to come and take over."

"Sorry." He made a show of clasping his hands together and not fidgeting.

"Don't worry about it. If you want to help, I'd love a beer."

Kendall was out of his seat in a heartbeat, making James snort.

"Thanks." He accepted the offered can of beer and took a long swallow. The ice-cold beer stung his throat on its way down and he coughed a little. "So is it just you that you cook for at home?" Not that he thought Kendall had a partner or anything, but he liked to make sure. People had all sorts of relationships these days. James wasn't one to judge, but he wasn't interested in starting anything if Kendall was already involved with someone. He probably should have asked earlier, but he'd been kind of distracted.

"No."

Kendall's abrupt answer startled him into dropping his wooden spoon on the floor. He picked it up and tossed it in the sink, then reached for another. "Oh?"

"I live with my sister, Katie."

James' grip on the handle eased, and he flexed his fingers, unaware he'd been holding it that tightly. Kendall had mentioned on Sunday that he had a sister. "How old is she?"

Kendall frowned. "Um."

"Don't you know?"

"Yeah, of course I do. She's three years younger than me, but her birthday's two months after mine, and mine was last week so… twenty-two. Old enough to cook her own food, I know, but I like doing it. A friend of ours comes around most weekends too, so I like to try out different things on them."

James also remembered Kendall saying he hadn't spoken to his dad in eight years, but he'd made no mention of his mom. Not that James was about to bring her up now.

"What about you?"

"Me?" James asked, glancing over his shoulder at Kendall.

Kendall was hot, even in the harsh light of the kitchen, and looking rumpled and a little used. Sexy and adorable was perhaps a more fitting description. 'Hot' made him sound so one-dimensional, and James sensed there was a lot more to Kendall Knight than he let people see.

"Well, I know who you live with, but do you have any siblings?"

"Oh." James set the timer for the rice and joined Kendall at the table. "I have an older brother, Shane. He lives in New York now, and my mom and dad still live about ten miles from here in the house I grew up in." A spitting noise behind him made him jump and quickly turn back to the pan of madly bubbling rice.

"Shit." James muttered as he lowered the heat. Christ, he didn't want to ruin their dinner after finding out Kendall cooked a lot. "Oh, I almost forgot."

"What?"

"I meant to do loaded nachos too." Grabbing a plate out of the cupboard, he then set it on the counter and layered the chips, cheese, and salsa into a large stack before slipping the dish into the oven. "I hope you're hungry."

Kendall leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. "Always. Especially after sex."

"In that case…" James fetched the fresh guacamole and sour cream out of the fridge and set them on the table. "I've got a big breakfast planned for in the morning."

Kendall choked on the mouthful of beer he was just swallowing.

James congratulated himself on having perfect timing. He patted Kendall's back as he passed by to get plates, and then faltered. Some of his bravado vanished. "You don't have to work in the morning, do you?"

"Nope." Kendall set his beer on the table, a sheepish smile on his face. "I already switched shifts with Katie."

"Okay, then." James' stomach fluttered at Kendall's words. Seems they both had the same idea for tonight. As he leaned close to put the plates out, he whispered in Kendal's ear. "Big breakfast it is."

XxX

Kendall pushed his plate away with a groan. "That was great, but I don't think I can move now."

James tried not to look smug, but gave up when Kendall added, "I think that's the best chili I've ever had."

"It's one of my mom's recipes. She loved to cook, too."

A hint of sadness crept into Kendall's eyes. James leaned forwards, resting his elbows on the table. "If you don't mind me asking...what happened to your mom?"

"She died in a car accident, almost nine years ago." Kendall responded, his breath hitching as his fingers curled into loose fists on the table.

James reached out and covered them with his own. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." He rubbed his thumbs back and forth trying to soothe the old pain he'd unwittingly brought to the surface.

"No, don't be. I like talking about her. She was a great mom." He looked around the kitchen, a wistful smile chasing away some of his sadness. "I still miss her, and I guess being here…"

Christ. Of course being here would remind him of his mom. They probably used to eat in this kitchen all the time. God, she probably cooked on that same Aga, or one similar to it.

"Come on." James said as he stood and held out his hand. Kendall's brow furrowed, but he took it. "Let's go and collapse on the couch and watch some TV." He led Kendall out of the kitchen and into the living room.

The living room probably held plenty of memories too, but unlike the kitchen, everything in there was new.

"That came on Wednesday." James gestured to the huge couch that took up most of the space. "It's so comfy you won't want to move once you sit down."

"Is that so?" Kendall's smile widened, the gentle squeeze of his fingers around James' a silent thank you.

"Yeah." James said as he sat in his favorite spot, cuddled up next to the arm of the couch, and patted the space next to him.

Kendall joined him with a smile and took his hand again. He settled into the plush cushions and sighed. "Wow. You weren't wrong."

As Kendall closed his eye for a second, James stole a look at him. The strong line of his jaw, shadowed with a day's worth of stubble, called out to him to run his fingers over it. He imagined the scrape of it on his tongue and the roughness pressed against his inner thighs.

"Hey." Kendall said, squeezing his hand. James glanced up to find him watching him. "If you keep looking at me like that, then we'll be christening your new couch pretty soon."

An image of Dak's outraged expression popped into James' head, and he burst out laughing. "Dak would kill me."

"In that case, put something on for me to watch besides you." Kendall smiled and plonked the TV remote in James' lap, barely missing his growing erection.

As James flinched, the snigger coming from Kendall told him it wasn't by accident.

Snatching the remote up, James turned on the TV and scrolled through to a film on HBO. "This okay?"

"Yeah." Kendall slouched down a bit more, leaning into James' side, the warmth of him a welcome heat as the evening cooled.

Twenty minutes in, James found his mind wandering. Not that the film was bad, but having Kendall next to him left him unable to concentrate on it. "I never asked you." He kept his voice low. "What is it you do for a living?"

Kendall arched an eyebrow as he turned to face him. "No enjoying the film, then?"

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine. I've seen it anyway, and you're kind of distracting."

 _Glad to see we're of the same mind._

James shifted his position a little and drew Kendall in so he could slip an arm around him. He'd wanted to do that since they sat down, and with Kendall's easy acceptance, he wondered why he'd waited "So?"

"Oh, yeah. Me and Katie own a small bookshop. My mom left it to us when she died."

"In town?"

"Yeah."

Kendall described where it was, and James vaguely remembered seeing it. Even though he'd worked around the corner for a couple of years, he used to live about fifteen minutes away from there, and didn't know the immediate area all that well. "I'll have to check it out."

He wondered if that was overstepping. This thing between them was still so new they'd barely taken off the wrapping. But Kendall pulled their clasped hands over his stomach and gave James' fingers another small squeeze. "I'd like that."

The mention of books reminded James of the one they'd found in the cellar. Now would be an ideal time to ask Kendall about it, especially as he worked with books all day. He'd probably have a good idea whether it was as old as it looked, and maybe he could tell them if this Isaac Knight was a local.

"You said this house has been in your family for generations, right?"

"Yep."

James muted the film, now that neither of them were paying attention. "So, has your family always lived around here, then?"

"As far as I know, my great-great-whatever they were owned some of this land when it used to be a farm, back in the early 1800s."

"Wow." James looked around the house with new eyes. The wall between the kitchen and the living room was exposed brickwork, but it looked too new to be two hundred years old.

Following his line of sight, Kendall shook his head, the movement knocking James' shoulder. "I don't think this particular building has been around all that time. I'm pretty sure it's been knocked down and rebuilt a time or two. At least parts of it, anyway."

"Hmm." The cellar must be old, though. New houses weren't built with them, so that had to have been done a long time ago. At least pre-1960 if James remembered correctly. "Do you know when the cellar was built?"

Kendall sat up so quickly it took James a second or two to register it. " _What_ cellar?"

"Um… the one through the door in the sunroom." James said, his frown automatic. He didn't understand how Kendall had lived there for so long and not known there was a cellar under the house. Maybe his parents had kept it locked or something. Although, he and Dak hadn't needed a key to get in. In fact, James didn't even remember there being a lock. "You're kidding, right?" James asked.

"No. Why would I be?"

James had no idea. But something was definitely odd. He stood as abruptly as Kendall had moved minutes earlier. "Come on. I'll show you."

They left the living room in silence, Kendall following him without further comment. The door to the sunroom was only a few feet away, but James shivered as they walked through it. The temperature seemed to suddenly drop a few degrees.

"Do you feel that?" Kendall whispered, making the whole thing ten times creepier than it should be.

"Dak probably left a window open this morning."

James flicked the light switch. It clicked, but the sunroom remained dark, and the feeling of wrongness increased with every beat of his heart. Every part of him wanted to turn around and go back to the warmth and relative safety of the living room. "We can come back anoth-"

Kendall turned on the flashlight on his phone and swung it in an arc before James could even finish his sentence. Kendall's phone illuminated sections of the room in an eerie glow, then plunged them back into darkness.

James took an involuntary step back. "I can show you another time… when I get some new light bulbs." Because of course, the light in there used different ones than the ones in the cellar.

"This is fine." Kendall said before turning to face him, phone in hand, and the flashlight angled in such a way it lit up his face from below.

For a split second, he didn't look like Kendall at all. The angles of his face altered, his expression now grief-stricken instead of warm, and the eyes…

James suddenly felt...off, a foreign feeling rushing through him. He gasped and stumbled backwards into the doorframe. "Fuck."

A soft _click_ sounded behind his shoulder blade as he rubbed against the light switch again, but this time the room lit up around them.

Squinting a little, Kendall quickly turned off the light and pocketed his phone. He took a few steps forwards, but James' instinctive flinch stopped him from reaching out.

"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Kendall asked before grinning, as though it was a joke.

James still struggled to find words as his mind clung to the image of someone else where Kendall's face should have been. After several long drawn-out seconds, he managed "I'm fine."

"Well, you don't look it. You're as white as a sheet."

This time Kendall reached up slowly, treating him like a wild animal that might spook at any second.

James held still as Kendall cupped his cheek, and the warmth of Kendall's hand immediately chased away the irrational fear. He breathed deeply, feeling more than a little embarrassed at how he'd reacted.

A bubble of laughter threatened to escape as he suddenly thought of Harry Potter and the Dementors-Kendall was his chocolate. Why that particular analogy seemed apt at the moment was something he didn't want to delve into too deeply.

Straightening, James glanced over to the right where the cellar door stood, looking as innocuous as ever. The wrong feeling from before, while lessened somewhat, hadn't left him entirely, and the very last thing he wanted to do at-he checked his watch-a quarter to twelve on a Friday night was to go down into the cellar. He'd watched enough horror movies to know that was a fucking awful idea. He pointed. "That's the cellar door."

Kendall turned to look and started to walk towards it, but James grabbed his arm.

"I don't want to go down there tonight." Whatever expression was on his face was convincing enough for Kendall to nod and face him again.

"Okay. Let's get a coffee or something. Yeah?"

A stiff whisky sounded more appealing. "Yeah." James responded, not needing to be asked twice. He backed out of the room and quickly pulled the door shut after Kendall.

James gripped Kendall's hand on their way to the kitchen, only realizing how hard he'd been holding on when he let go and Kendall flexed his fingers. "Sorry. I…"

 _What? What can I say to explain what just happened without sounding crazy?_

"What happened in there?"

The honest concern in Kendall's tone and his expression had James opening his mouth and going with the truth. His mind was too frazzled to come up with a convincing lie. "I thought I saw something, or someone, in there. I know that sounds crazy and weird, but I swear it's the truth."

Kendall continued to watch him with that same look of genuine worry, no trace of amusement in his eyes. "I believe you."

He was taking James seriously, and James could have kissed him for it. Being made fun of in that moment would have killed any budding relationship between them. He was so off-kilter, so far from his usual laid-back self, he needed something to grab onto, and Kendall's reassuring strength seemed like the perfect thing.

One step brought James close enough to reach for him, and Kendall didn't hesitate wrapping him in a hug, tight and perfect and exactly what James needed.

"I know you were joking before." James said, swallowing down a flash of fear as he remembered the stranger's face with startling clarity. "But I think I really did see a ghost."

If James hadn't been so closely pressed against him, he might have missed the way Kendall tensed for a split second before burying his head in the crook of James' neck.

"Can you describe him?"

"How did you know it was a him?" James asked. He hadn't said anything about it being a him, had he?

He felt Kendall smiling against his skin. "Lucky guess."

James closed his eyes, not wanting to picture that face again, but Kendall had taken a leap of faith in believing him, so he owed him as much explanation as possible.

"Kind of like you, but also not. I don't know, it was…" _Fucking creepy._ "Strange. He had the same jawline, but more pronounced cheekbones. His lips weren't as full as yours, and his smile definitely wasn't a happy one." He shuddered. "His eyes, though… they were the worst."

"Tell me."

"They were so fucking sad. I mean, all desperate and heartbroken and just… full of despair."

Kendall held him tight for a little longer, saying nothing as though mulling over James' words. Any second now, James expected him to make his excuses and leave, but instead he gently steered him into one of the kitchen chairs and made him sit down.

Kendall glanced at the coffee pot and frowned. "I think we need something a little stronger than coffee."

"There's some whisky in that cupboard." Directing Kendall to the whisky and two glasses rewarded James with a good inch of amber liquid set on the table in front of him. The first sip burnt, but he welcomed the hot flare in his stomach "Ahh."

"Better?"

"Yeah." James said before taking another sip, gradually feeling more like himself with each swallow. "I'll show you the cellar some other time if you're still interested. Just… not tonight."

Kendall glanced at him over the rim of his glass as he drank. "I'd like to see it if you don't mind. I don't remember that door being there, which…" He shook his head. "Maybe they had furniture in front of it or something. They used to have bookshelves in there. My mom was an avid reader and collector of books." He smiled. "Obviously."

James grinned back. It felt good to smile. "That would explain it."

They drank their whiskey in silence, comfortable rather than awkward, and James felt the fiery liquid soothe his nerves.

Kendall placed his near-empty glass on the table and tapped the side of the glass as he looked up. "Now you know all about me…"

James scoffed. "I wouldn't go that far."

"Okay, now you know a _little_ more about me. It's your turn."

With a whisky-loosened tongue, James told him all about being a teacher and what that entailed. He was halfway through telling him about his first two days back when the door opened and Dak walked in, carrying a cat basket.

"You're back late." James said before pointing at the basket. "Dare I ask?"

Dak looked exhausted, the dark circles under his eyes accompanied by a huge yawn. "Yeah. It was a nasty one."

Dak set the basket carefully on the floor.

James glanced at it. "Is it…?" Obviously not dead, but what state was it in and why wasn't it back at the vets'?

"No, this isn't her." Dak's smiled as he bent down to open the front, making his eyes crinkle. "Camille had to operate on a run-over cat. She made it." He added quickly at James' 'Oh no.'

James loved animals, but especially cats. Cute kittens, like the tiny black bundle Dak cradled in his arms, were James' kryptonite.

"This little guy was left outside the back of the vets'." Dak explained.

"Left?"

"Yep. Found him there in a box." Dak tickled the kitten under the chin, the resulting purr surprisingly loud for something so small. "Can you hold him for a sec while I get his stuff out of the car?"

James' smile was already wide from watching the two of them, he almost toppled his chair in his haste to take the kitten from Dak. "Yeah, of course."

Kendall went with him, peering over his shoulder as he settled the kitten in his arms. It nibbled on the end of his finger, soft velvet paws kneaded out a rhythm on his hand. Any fear or bad feeling lurking inside him vanished, erased by the soft pads and tiny claws poking at his skin. It was adorable.

"Cat lover, then?" Kendall asked as he stroked down the kitten's back, careful not to press too hard. If anything, the purring got louder everytime Kendall touched him.

"Yeah." James said, watching in amusement as the kitten's eyes screwed tight in an expression of pure contentment at all the attention. "Looks like I'm not the only one."

Kendall's face said it all, and James assumed he looked just as smitten. How could he not?

Dak had disappeared back out to his car, leaving them on their own.

"Are you feeling okay now?" Kendall didn't look up as he asked, making it easier for James to answer.

"Yeah, thanks." He sighed, his breath parting the fur on the kitten's side. "I don't know what happened in there. I-"

Kendall stopped him with a quick kiss, taking him by surprise. "I bet this old place is probably haunted."

"You believe in that sort of stuff?"

"Don't you?" Kendall asked, meeting his gaze with open curiosity evident in his eyes.

"Not before today, no."

"And now?"

Now he didn't know what to believe. Something had happened in that room, but was it a trick of the light? His overactive imagination? Who the fuck knew. "I'm not so sure."

Dak came in carrying a litter box, litter, a cat bed, and a bag of cat food. Kendall excused himself to go to the bathroom. At the sound of the door shutting, Dak said, "So, did you have a good night? He's still here, so you must be doing something right."

The freaky sunroom experience could wait. "Yeah. I really like him."

"You showed him the book, then?" Dak asked, gesturing to the counter where the loaf of bread sat alongside the microwave.

"No."

"Did you hide it?"

James frowned. Why would he hide it? "Um...no?"

"Well, where is it?" Dak sat down the cat paraphernalia and walked over to the bare counter where the book had been earlier that day. "It was right here this morning. I remember wiping around it."

"I didn't move it." At the sound of the toilet flushing, James glanced out into the hallway.

"You don't think…" Dak whispered, his gaze drifting to the hallway as well, and James immediately shook his head.

"No." Granted he didn't really know Kendall all that well, but why the hell would he steal a dusty old book? Where would he even hide it? And more to the point, when would he have had the opportunity? They'd been together the entire night.

The tiny kitten in his arms chose that moment to squirm and James immediately looked down at him. "Sorry, did I disturb you? Blame Dak for being an ass."

Dak didn't answer, and when James raised his head, he saw Kendall leaning against the kitchen door frame.

"Everything okay?" Kendall asked, glancing from James to Dak and then back again. "James?"

"Yeah. Dak lost something, and neither of us can remember when we saw it last. That's all."

"Look…" Kendall said, shifting from foot to foot, and James knew what was coming. "It's late. I think I'm going to head off."

James tried not to visibly deflate at the words, but whatever expression was on his face had Dak striding forwards, giving James a sympathetic pat on the shoulder before carefully taking the kitten from him.

"I'll just go and get him settled in my room." Dak said before grabbing the soft, furry cat bed he'd just brought in and disappearing upstairs. Not subtle, by any means, but James silently thanked him for making himself scarce.

He followed Kendall to the door, his spirits dampened by the abrupt end to his night. "I thought you were going to stay?"

Had he fucked it up after one date? That had to be a new record.

Instead of giving James a shitty excuse, Kendall turned to face him, smiled, and took a step forwards, putting himself right in James' space. With one hand on James' hip and the other sliding around the back of his neck, he drew him into a kiss.

James went with it, a little confused, but more than happy to be kissing Kendall instead of watching him walk out the door. He closed his eyes, hoping this was a promise of more and not a goodbye.

Kendall tucked his fingers in the belt loops of James' jeans and tugged him closer until James felt the firm press of something that definitely promised more if he wasn't mistaken.

"As much as I'd like to say…" Kendall sighed as he pulled back to meet James' gaze. The look in his eyes was hard to read, and James tilted his head, frowning. "I think we've had enough excitement for one night."

James huffed, and shifted enough for Kendall to feel his erection. "Apparently not."

Kendall smiled, kissed him again, just a quick one this time, darting in and away before James had a chance to deepen it. "I think it's best if I go home."

Fine. James wasn't about to beg him to stay, no matter how much he'd looked forward to getting him in his bed again. "Night then, I guess." It must have come out more pissed off than he'd intended, judging by the wary look Kendall shot him.

"I'd really like to see you again, though." Kendall swallowed, seeming unsure. "If you want to?"

James sighed, guilt squeezing in alongside his disappointment. Being a dick wasn't his style at all. "Yeah, of course I want to." Kendall's smile widened, making James feel worse instead of better. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be an asshole."

"It's okay." Kendall said as he reached for the door handle. "Why don't you come to the shop on Sunday? I'm only working for a couple of hours. We could do lunch, if you like? The diner down the road is really great."

"Sounds good. Wanna meet around one?"

"Yeah."

Not long after, Kendall was gone with a small smile, the door closing softly behind him.

James leaned against it and closed his eyes. "What a weird fucking night."

"Oh?" Dak's voice startled him so badly he jumped and clutched at his chest.

"Fuck, you scared me." James' heart raced like it had earlier, and that same fear sent a shiver down his spine. The house he'd previously felt happy and content in now had a distinctly unpredictable edge to it. As least it did at this time of night, or morning. He checked his watch again, quarter to one.

"Is everything okay?" Dak asked, worry evident in his voice. He still had the kitten tucked in his arms fast asleep.

James smiled, the sight warming him through. The kitten looked so tiny cradled against his chest. "I thought you were putting him in your room?"

Dak glanced down and grinned. "In a bit. I wanted to check on you first. You seemed a little off. I didn't ruin things by coming back when I did, did I?"

With a heavy sigh, James crossed the room to the table and pulled out a chair. "No." At least, he didn't think so.., "Have a seat, and I'll tell you all about it."

"Sounds ominous." Dak said as he sat down.

"You have no idea."

* * *

 **Done! So, it looks like things are getting more and more strange as we move forward!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter is coming soon! And by soon, I mean withing the next few days. Hopefully... :P**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	9. Chapter Eight

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Me again! :P**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Side1ways, Guest, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

The dark wasn't something that normally bothered Kendall. He knew well enough what dangers lurked in the shadows, and he had the protection marks etched into his skin. Apart from Isaac Knight's mark, he had four more carefully drawn runes inked into his shoulder, the design itself researched and drawn by his mother. Katie had a matching one on her back.

They'd found the drawing in a drawer at the bookshop, hidden away from their dad. The distance between his parents had gotten bigger those last few years. The more Kendall dreamt, the more his mom worried. His dad dismissed the dreams as products of coincidence and an overactive imagination. But Kendall's mom recognized them for what they were because she was the same as him.

As he walked along the path joining James' street to the main road, the street lights seemed to dull, the distance between them too great to sufficiently illuminate the way. For the first time in years, Kendall felt wary as he walked along the tarmac, his footsteps overly loud in the stillness of the night. Each crunch of his shoes sounded like a cymbal crash, each soft breath like a ragged gasp of air.

Even as he cursed himself for being ridiculous, he walked quicker. By the time he rounded the corner and saw the main road with all its beautiful street lights shining bright and welcoming, Kendall was breathing fast and a sheen of sweat made his t-shirt cling to him.

Stopping to catch his breath, he leaned down and put his hands on his knees. "Get a grip, for fuck's sake."

He'd been on edge since the episode in the sunroom, and now everything seemed to be affecting him more than it ever had before. An owl hooted overhead and Kendall jumped, startled so badly his heart stuttered and then set off at a gallop.

It snapped him out of whatever weird headspace he'd gotten himself into, and he grinned, glancing behind with new eyes. The dark path he'd just walked down no longer looked sinister or even all that dark anymore. Whatever had made him feel vulnerable had thankfully passed, and he shook himself as though to rid himself of any last vestiges.

The evening had definitely been a strange one-a good evening, but strange nonetheless-but there was something not quite right about his old house.

He needed to talk to Katie. He pulled out his phone.

 _On my way home. Are you up?_

Despite the late hour, her reply came five minutes later.

 _ **Well, I am now. What's up? Date not go so well?**_

 _It went fine. But I think the house is haunted._

 _ **Wtf?**_

Before he could reply, another text followed from her.

 _ **I'm making coffee. Hurry up.**_

The thought of her sitting bolt upright in bed, staring at her phone, then thinking coffee was the answer made him snort. If he knew Katie, she'd be cursing his name for telling her that and then making her wait. But the smile slipped away as quickly as it appeared when he remembered the look on James' face. There'd been nothing funny about that.

XxX

Katie sat huddled under a blanket on the couch, two mugs of steaming coffee waited on the table in front of her.

"Hey." Kendall said as he kicked off his shoes and left them in the middle of the floor, rolling his eyes at her frown of disapproval. "I'll move them later."

She ignored him and patted the cushion next to her. "Sit down, and start talking."

So he did, starting with Dak's tattoo, then skipping to after they'd eaten. There was absolutely no need to share the in-between details with his sister.

"Wait." She put her hand on his arm. "What do you mean he showed you the cellar? There's no cellar in that house."

"That's what I said, but-"

"Did you go down there?"

"Well, no, because…" He hesitated. The words seemed to stick in his throat.

She sat up straighter. "Because what?"

"Something happened in that room, Katie."" His mouth suddenly dry, Kendall reached for his coffee and sipped. "The temperature dropped, the light switch wouldn't work-"

She huffed out a laugh, then clapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry, I know this has you all worked up, but it sounds like a cheesy horror movie."

Judging by James' reaction, it had been more terrifying than cheesy. "I know, but it was freaky as fuck." He set his mug down, and shifted on the couch to face her. "I really wanted to get a look down there, so I used the light on my phone, but when I turned back to James, he just…"

"What?" She was on the edge of her seat.

"He stared at me but didn't see _me_. And his face...I've never seen someone pale so quickly. It only lasted a few seconds, and then the lights suddenly came back on, but whatever he saw in that room scared the shit out of him."

Katie watched him, not saying anything, her expression giving nothing away. Given their family history, he had no doubt that she believed him.

"You think our old house is haunted, then. I know that's what you said in your text, but I thought you were joking."

"Not joking." He finished off his coffee and set it down on the table. "With everything that happened on that land, all the generations who've lived there, are you really surprised?" Now that he thought about it, Kendall wondered why it hadn't happened sooner.

"I guess not." She bit her lip. "Do you think it's _him_?"

"Alexander?"

"Yes."

That had been Kendall's first thought. But maybe it wasn't. After all, he had no idea who else might have died there over the last two hundred years. "I don't know. I mean, in theory it makes sense. But he was banished by magic. Shouldn't that mean he can't haunt the place?"

Katie opened her mouth, then closed it again, finally settling on a shrug.

After so many years being confident in the knowledge their family was special, but safe, Kendall suddenly felt unprepared and uninformed. The thing their mother and grandfather had stressed, repeatedly, over and over until Kendall and Katie knew it by heart, was that Alexander Knight had been sent beyond the veil that separated this world and the next.

Familial magic had been used to banish him, the strength of the blood bond enough to overpower him. Halloween was the only time the veil thinned enough for the spell to work, and the only night it could be undone.

To reverse the spell, Alex would need a loved one connected through blood. Each year his powers would strengthen in the days leading up to October 31st, and the barrier keeping him there lessened. Without protection, any member of the Knight family was susceptible to that power.

So they wore the mark, and for the whole time they'd lived at the house, Kendall's family had never spent Halloween there.

"Hey." Katie nudged him with her foot.

"Sorry. I was just thinking."

"About?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

Apart from a raised eyebrow, she didn't push him to elaborate. "So, haunting aside, did anything else happen in the cellar? Did the door stick, or…?"

Kendall fixed her with an incredulous glare. "Strangely enough, James wasn't too keen on exploring after that." He said sarcastically.

Katie had the good grace to look a little ashamed. "Yeah, sorry. I imagine he was a bit freaked."

"Just a bit." Kendall would have been freaked too if he hadn't been brought up around stuff like that. The whole thing unnerved him, despite knowing all that he did, so he could only imagine what it was like for James. The look on James' face still made his heart race a little.

She sighed and relaxed back against the cushions. "I don't remember anything like that happening when we lived there, do you?"

"No."

"Do you think Dak's mark isn't working? Maybe it wasn't done right?"

"Hmm, maybe." The tattoo had been linked with all the others on Dak's bicep. Did that matter? "Dak wasn't there when it happened, though."

"Oh?"

Hadn't he mentioned that? "No, he left for a few hours earlier. Some vet emergency."

"Maybe that's why, then? With him out of the house-"

"But I was there."

Katie frowned, then rolled her eyes. "Shit. Of course you were. Ignore me." She chewed her thumbnail, still frowning. "I know it's probably not possible, but could James be related? He's localish, isn't he?"

"Yes, but it's not him."

"How can you be so sure?"

Kendall smiled for the first time since he'd got in. Finally, something he could be fairly certain of. "I've seen his family tree."

Katie sniggered. "Is that a euphemism?"

"What? No." He leaned over and swatted her arm. "He has a family tree stuck to his bedroom wall. It goes back quite far."

"So he took you up to his bedroom just to show you his _family tree_?" She was still laughing.

Kendall blushed. "Not exactly."

"Aha! I knew it!"

"Whatever. Shut up and listen." No way was he telling his little sister anything about his sex life. Nope. "I got a good long look at it-"

"I bet you did."

"Katie!" He glared at her, but that only made her laugh more until she clapped a hand over her mouth. "Come on, this is serious."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, none of the names looked familiar. I very much doubt there's any chance James is a Knight, so that leaves Dak."

"Or something else we don't know about."

"Such as?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. But everything happened so long ago, I'm sure there's stuff that got lost between generations."

"Hmm." She had a point. He thought about Isaac's diary that Kelly had mentioned the other night. What he wouldn't give to get his hands on that.

"So," Katie began, and Kendall gave her his full attention. "Are you going to try and get another look?"

"At the cellar?"

"Yes. I'm assuming you've already made plans to get another look at what James is offering." She grinned, but he chose to ignore her.

"Yeah, hopefully. I'm sure there's nothing there after all these years, but it's weird, don't you think?"

"You need to be more specific. Lots about our life is weird."

"Well, James and Dak have already been down there with no problem at all. Yet when he tried to show me…"

"Weird shit happened."

"Exactly."

She looked far too excited. "Oh! Do you think he...it...whatever it was, recognized you and wanted to keep you out?" It sounded far-fetched when she said it out loud, but that was exactly what he'd thought. "You definitely need to get a look in that cellar." Her next question shouldn't have surprised him. "Can I come?"

"No."

"You're no fun at all." She yawned, causing Kendall to do the same.

He stood and pulled her up with him. "Bed. It's late, and since I'm home now, I might as well join you in the shop tomorrow."

"Ugh. We need more staff."

"We can't afford more staff."

He kissed her forehead before going to brush his teeth and finally crawl into bed.

XxX

 _With a trembling hand, he opened the book and smoothed out the blank page. This night had been the worst of his entire life. The shock still gripped him tight, his vision burnt with the horrific sights he'd witnessed. His father, Liam Oxton, Liam's father, too many others…_

 _And lastly Alexander, his beloved brother._

 _They were all gone, and the clench of his heart felt like a knife in his chest. But that had not been his brother kneeling, yet defiant, on the cellar floor of their farmhouse. He hadn't recognized the man who looked back at him, mocking and lacking any remorse for the things he'd done._

 _The quill sat on the table next to him, ready for him to record the words necessary to keep his family safe. Trying to keep his trembling hand steady, he picked up the quill, dipped it into the ink, and began writing._

 _Property of Isaac Knight._

Kendall woke up to the alarm on his phone, his fingers clutching the quilt and desperately trying to hang on to the remnants of his dream. Hitting snooze and closing his eyes didn't stop the clarity from blurring until all he remembered was a book and the title page. There'd been more, so much more, but the dream slipped through his fingers like sand.

It was Isaac again. That much remained with him. The feeling etched deep into his bones, as though he'd been reliving a moment instead of watching it unfold. The words in the book had gone, but Kendall could still feel the roughness of the paper.

His phone buzzed again, and this time he got up and turned it off. Stretching his arms above his head, he tried to focus on the day ahead. The shop opened at nine on Saturday, and as he hadn't stayed at James' it was his turn to open up.

The shower woke him up some more, and by the time he met Katie in the kitchen-she was still in her pajamas-he'd managed to shake off the frustration the dream had left him with.

Or so he thought.

"Morning."

Katie glanced up from her cereal, spoon paused midway to her mouth. "Morning. Are you having dreams again?" He nodded. Her uncanny knack for knowing exactly when he had _those_ dreams had convinced him she'd inherited some family traits too. "You sit down. I'll get you a coffee." She stood and waited for him to sit, before starting the coffee pot and finishing her cereal. "Are they like before?"

"No." Kendall shook his head. Sometimes he had premonition-type dreams, fuzzy and unclear until after the event. He fucking hated those dreams. They were like the worst version of hindsight. But last night's and the couple he'd had before that were different. They were more like memories.

"Oh. the other kind." She said before standing up and pouring him a cup of coffee on the pot finished brewing, which he gratefully accepted.

"Thanks."

"Well, at least that's something."

"Mm-hmm." The coffee was far too hot to drink, so Kendall blew on it a little. "They're about Isaac Knight."

"Oh."

Kendall wondered what Isaac had _really_ looked like, not the picture from some old book written decades after his life. Had James seen Alexander in that room, or Isaac? "We need to find that painting."

"What pain-oh, the one of Isaac and his family?"

Kendall nodded. "Yeah." The need to find it suddenly seemed like the most important thing he had to do.

"We can check the apartment again. Maybe we missed something?" Katie suggested.

"Come on, then." He stood, excitement rushing through him, but the expression on her face didn't scream enthusiasm. "What's wrong?"

"Um, you're supposed to be downstairs getting ready to open up?"

"Shit." How the fuck had he forgotten that? Of course he had to work today. For that instant the only thing on his mind had been finding that painting. He ran his fingers through his damp hair, attempting to gain some semblance of calm.

"Kendall?"

"Yeah, I'm going down now."

Katie pushed her chair back and then walked around the table to stand in front of him. "That's not what I meant." She briefly touched his arm. "I can do it, if you don't feel right. I just need five min-"

"I'm fine." Maybe a little off-balance, but it had been a strange twenty-four hours, even by their standards. "Honestly." He added when she didn't seem convinced.

"Okay. I'll be down in an hour or so."

Despite his assurances that there was nothing wrong, Katie appeared twenty minutes later and hardly left his side all day.

XxX

An incoming text message woke Kendall the following morning. Fumbling around for his phone, he almost knocked it onto the floor twice before grabbing it. The message was from James.

 _Good morning. Are we still ok for lunch? -J_

Half-asleep, Kendall managed to reply without too many typos, all things considered.

 _Yeh, 1. Tha work? -K_

Had he overslept? Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and then caught sight of the time, just as another text appeared.

 _Shit. You were probably asleep. -J_

Kendall grinned and replied.

 _Most people are at 8am on a Sunday. -K_

 _I just got back from a run and didn't see the time. I'm sorry. Go back to sleep. -J_

Kendall groaned and closed his eyes. Did he really want to get involved with such a morning person? He pictured James in his tight running gear, all sweaty and out of breath and…

Yeah, he really did.

He couldn't leave it like that, so he typed some more.

 _It's fine. Needed to be awake soon, anyway. Things to do. -K_

 _Well, in that case, get your lazy ass up. :) See you at 1 -J_

With a groan, Kendall rolled onto his back and yawned. Maybe he hadn't planned on being up quite so early, the bookshop was only open from eleven to four today, and Katie was opening up. But there was one thing he wanted to do before starting work.

The toilet flushed in the main bathroom. Katie was obviously awake. Kendall hopped out of bed, wanting to catch her before she went in the shower.

"Katie?" He called, opening his bedroom door.

She paused in the hallway, towel in hand, hair sticking up at all angles, and a sleepy smile on her face. "Morning." She narrowed her eyes, then walked up to him and poked at his cheeks. "It's Sunday morning. You're out of bed before eight thirty and you have a smile on your face. What's wrong with you?"

Kendall laughed and batted her hand away. "Nothing's wrong. I'm not that bad in the morning." Her eyebrows shot up, and she just stared at him. "Okay, fine. So I don't like getting up early, especially on the weekend."

"So, why so chipper today?"

Kendall couldn't stop his smile. "James texted and-"

"Ah." She held up a hand to stop him. "Say no more. I can't cope with you being all excited at this hour."

He huffed and pulled her in for a hug, much to her disgust. "I was going to have a quick look in the apartment before work. Want to join me?"

They'd finished later than planned last night. After Kendall cooked dinner and they settled in front of the TV for a bit, it was eleven o'clock. Not the liveliest Saturday night, but not a bad way to spend the evening either. A couple of glasses of wine dulled his earlier enthusiasm, and Kendall couldn't be bothered to look around in the apartment then.

She hesitated. "You want to go look now?"

"Yeah. Might as well make the most of being up early." He reached up to pop open the loft/apartment hatch and pulled down the ladder. "You coming?"

"Okay, but don't let me forget the time." She set the towel on the rail inside the bathroom, then pointed at his bare legs and torso. "You should probably put some clothes on first, though."

Glancing down at his himself clad in only black boxer briefs, Kendall conceded that she had a point.

Once he was dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, and thick socks, he led the way up the loft ladder, with Katie close behind him.

"You look like you slept better last night." She said as he helped her through the hatch and onto the boarded floor. "No dreams?"

That stopped him in his tracks. "No. Nothing." Once his dreams started , they tended to occur consistently for a while. Usually until whatever event he'd been dreaming about happened, or he remembered the whole dream from start to finish. "I'm sure they'll be back."

Katie hummed in agreement but said nothing. Instead she stood and looked at the boxes piled fairly neatly off to one side. Some of it was new, put there by Kendall over the past few years as they made both the bookshop and apartment their own. The previous tenant had left soon after their mom died, with weird but perfect timing. Kendall wasn't sure where he and Katie would have gone otherwise.

 _Kelly's, probably._

The rest of the boxes were all his mom's.

Hands on hips, Katie turned to him. "We've been through all of it before, you know." Her voice was soft.

"I know, but maybe we missed something."

The painting had to be somewhere. The last time they'd looked through their mom's stuff, they'd still been grieving, clinging to anything of hers they could find. Eight years was a long time, maybe they'd seen it and forgotten. And maybe he was clutching at straws, but something was urging him to do this, some need deep inside, and Kendall had learned not to ignore his instincts.

He crouched and carefully opened the first box. "I'll take this one."

XxX

The time passed far too quickly. Kendall was still only halfway through that first box-lost in memories of happier family times-when Katie suddenly stood up.

"Shit, Ken, why didn't you set an alarm or something! I'm going to be late opening up." She put everything back in her box and stood, brushing lint and dust off her black leggings.

"It's only nine thirty. You've got plenty of time."

"I've got to shower, dry my hair, eat…"

She had an hour and a half, how long did all of that take? He looked up at her from where he sat with the box between his legs. "Okay, but I'm going to stay up here for a bit longer."

With a pat to his shoulder, she smiled down at him. "Don't be too long. You still have to work this morning."

"Yeah, yeah." He waved her away and went back to leafing through the old photos in his hand.

He'd only managed to sort through that one box by the time he needed to stop and get ready. Although a little disappointed at not finding the painting or anything relating to their weird ancestry, the thought of lunch with James had him smiling as he showered and dressed.

By the time he walked through the back door into the bookshop, he was humming.

Katie spared him a brief look but waited for the customer she'd served to leave before turning to face him. "Hot date?"

"I always dress like this for work." Which was true. Skinny jeans and a black t-shirt with the shop logo on were his uniform.

"I was referring to the fact you're clean shaven, smell nice, and your hair looks like you spent more than five minutes on it."

Kendall didn't know which of those statements to be offended by. Ignoring them all, he shrugged. "I'm having lunch with James."

"I knew it." With that, she scooped up a pile of books off the counter and left him to man the till.

* * *

 **Done! So, not much James this chapter, but we got a lot of Kendall and Katie interaction, along with more questions.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter, James will be back, and you'll get to see his lunch date with Kendall! That will be up this weekend.**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	10. Chapter Nine

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm back again!**

 **Before we get into the new chapter, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Guest, and Side1ways for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

James thanked the guy holding open the door of the bookshop for him and stepped inside.

Kendall was busy helping a customer and hadn't noticed him, giving James a chance to watch him in action. Kendall's blond hair fell forward as he glanced down, a couple of stray strands falling into his eyes for a second until he lifted his head. From this angle the line of his jaw looked more pronounced. More sharp and strong and tempting. The t-shirt he wore fit him perfectly, and James vividly remembered how it felt to have his hands all over Kendall's body.

Kendall caught him staring and winked, and James' stomach fluttered in response.

Why did he feel so nervous? After Friday night he figured they'd gotten through the awkward first-date stuff, and then some. Surely anything that came after would be easy to deal with. But as he walked over to the counter to say hello, nerves tickled his insides like a hundred butterflies trying to escape.

"Hey." James said as he stopped to stand off to one side, just in case Kendall needed to help anyone else.

Kendall grinned, had a quick glance around the shop, then leaned forwards and gave James a quick kiss. "Hey."

That one simple, easy touch chased away the stupid feeling in his stomach, and James relaxed. "Are you about ready to go?"

"Yeah, I just need to tell Katie. Wait one sec." He ducked out from behind the counter and returned a couple minutes later with who James assumed was Katie.

"Katie, this is James." Kendall said.

James smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand for her to shake.

Katie gave him a quick once-over before smiling back and grasping his hand in a firm grip. "You too." Her smile turned sly as she glanced at her brother. "I've heard so much about you already."

Kendall blushed and shot a glare at his sister.

James laughed. Their interaction reminded him of himself and his brother. "Is that so?"

She grinned, eyes full of mischief. "Yep. Kendall wouldn't shut up about seeing your _family tree_."

The emphasis she placed on the words, accompanied by Kendall's eye-roll, told James he probably didn't want to ask. At least not in front of Katie, anyway.

"And on that note, we're leaving." Kendall said as he reached behind the counter to grab his wallet. He gave his sister a hug before ushering James towards the door.

"Will she be okay on her own?" James asked as they walked out. The shop didn't look busy, but… "What if you have a sudden influx of customers?"

Kendal huffed a laugh. "First off, never ever say that in front of Katie. She's more than capable and will murder you for even suggesting she can't handle the shop on her own."

James winced. "Sorry, I was just-"

"I know what you meant. I'm just messing with you. Well, not about her murdering you. Anyway, second, we're only open until four today and Kelly's coming at around three to help her close up. So she's fine. It's really sweet that you care, though."

"Kelly?" James asked as they crossed the road.

"She's a friend of ours. Well, she's more like family, really. She works a few shifts to help out, and we have another part-timer, who does a couple shifts during the week."

James nodded. It made sense. They couldn't work seven days a week. He wondered how that went, owning your own business and sorting out who worked what hours, holidays, etcetera.

They reached the diner doors, and Kendall led them inside. "What days do you have off, then?"

Kendall looked back over his shoulder with a smile. "Depends. Why? Did you have something in mind?"

He hadn't, but now that Kendall had mentioned it, the idea of spending the entire day together sounded great. "Maybe. But unless it's a school holiday, my days off are always Saturday and Sunday."

They walked up to the counter to order. They paid for their two carvery meals and went to find a table before getting their food. James couldn't remember the last time he'd been to a carvery diner. Kendall had insisted they pay for the one with three types of meat, and as they got in line to be served, James saw why.

His mouth watered at the succulent and juicy-looking array of meats as the chef carved off piece after piece. Breakfast had been hours ago, and James' stomach rumbled loudly as the delicious smells wafted his way.

Kendall brushed up behind him. Their bodies fitted together for a second as Kendall whispered in James' ear, "Told you we needed to have all three."

Hot breath over the sensitive skin of James' neck sent a shiver down his spine, and he swore he felt that soft press of lips before Kendall moved back. The touch had been so fleeting he could be wrong, but one glance at the heat in Kendall's eyes convinced him he wasn't. The middle of a family restaurant was the last place he wanted to be turned on. "Stop it." He hissed while smiling as the chef placed slices of beef on his plate.

"I'm not doing anything." They moved along to the vegetable section, and just as James helped himself to broccoli and spinach, Kendall pressed close behind him again.

"Sorry." Kendall whispered, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "I tripped."

James laughed and shook his head. "Of course you did." He'd smiled more in the last thirty minutes than he remembered doing when getting to know someone. Kendall had such an easy way about him, teasing smiles and laughs out of James when he wasn't expecting it. The fact that he was hot was just the icing on the cake.

With their plates fully loaded, they headed back to their table and sat.

James settled in his chair. Moments later, Kendall shuffled his feet closer to James' so their ankles touched, and James hid his smile, taking a drink of water.

They ate in silence for a while, the clinking of cutlery interrupted by the conversations going on around them. James paused, swallowing a bite of food. "Did you mention the cellar to Katie?"

Kendall swallowed his mouthful of food and sat back in his seat. "Yeah, Friday night when I got in. She doesn't remember seeing it either. It's really weird."

"Maybe you could ask your dad about it?" As soon as the words left James' mouth, he remembered Kendall saying they didn't speak anymore. "Shit. Sorry, I forgot."

"No, it's fine." Kendall waved off his apology. "It's not that he won't talk to us. We just have nothing to say to each other anymore. The last conversation we had wasn't exactly fun, but I think you're right. He'd know more about it. If they blocked it off for a reason, then I'd like to know what it was."

Kendall picked up his drink and ran his thumb through the condensation on the side, seemingly lost in thought.

James wanted to kick himself. Everything had been going so well.

After taking a long drink, Kendall seemed to snap out of it. He set his drink back down and smiled. "How's the kitten? Are you keeping it?"

"The kitten is now Sam, and he's a pain in the ass." James grinned as he said it, and Kendall nudged his foot under the table.

"If you've named him, then I guess that answered my second question."

"Yeah. Besides, Dak would never part with him now." James said before leaning forwards, resting his arms on the table. "His dad bought that house because he said we'd need room for all the animals Dak would inevitably bring home once he started working at the practice. I thought he was joking."

"Maybe he'll stop at a kitten."

James shook his head. "I doubt it. He's such a pushover when it comes to animals. They're like his kryptonite. We're going to end up with every stray that crosses his path."

Not that James really minded, he loved animals almost as much as Dak, but that didn't mean he could tease him about it. Constantly.

They carried on eating for a bit, before he suddenly remembered something. "Sam's not too keen on the back room, though."

Kendall paused with his fork mid-air. "Which one is that?"

From the look on his face, he knew exactly which room James meant.

"The one with access to the cellar. We were showing Sam around the house." He tried not to blush at how that sounded out loud. Two grown men taking their new kitten around every room. _For fuck's sake._

To his credit, Kendall didn't laugh. In fact, he seemed far too serious. "What happened?"

"Dak carried him through the doorway, and as soon as he put Sam down, he went mad." It had been hilarious at the time. "His little back arched, and he sort of curled sideways like this-" He used his hand to try and demonstrate. "-hissing and growling, right in front of the cellar door." Even the thought of it made him laugh, but Kendall still looked as serious as before. "What?"

"Nothing."

 _Oh._ James had been avoiding making any connection between the Sam incident and Friday night, seeing as how he had to live in that house. His smile faded. "You're thinking about Friday night."

"Aren't you?"

James set down his knife and fork. He'd practically finished, anyway. "I was trying not to. Well, about that part of it." At least that got a smile out of Kendall. "Anyway, this time the back window was open and the next door neighbor's dog was yapping away in their garden."

He didn't sound convincing, even to himself, but the alternative was ridiculous.

"You know they say cats can sense the supernatural."

James almost choked on his drink. "You're not serious."

For a moment, Kendall just looked at him. James got the feeling he was seconds away from telling him something, but then Kendall's expression changed. The smile he managed seemed a little forced compared to earlier. He shrugged. "You're probably right, I'm sure it was the dog."

Should he ask what Kendall had been about to say before he so obviously changed his mind? James debated it for a couple of seconds, but he decided they didn't really know each other well enough to push him just yet.

He finished his drink, watching Kendall do the same, and wondered what they were going to do next. Five minutes ago he'd been certain they'd be doing something together after they ate, now he wasn't so sure.

A subtle difference in the mood had him expecting Kendall to make his excuses and go back to the shop. James set his empty glass on the table with a sigh.

"So, I guess I-" "Do you want to come-"

They stopped and smiled at each other, Kendall's smile much more natural this time. Whatever Kendall had been about to ask sounded promising, so James hurried to say "You first."

Kendall slid his foot against James', his gaze intense and searching. "Do you want to come back to my apartment?"

"For coffee?" He couldn't help but ask. Half joking, half not.

"No." Kendall said before licking his lips.

In an instant the mood changed again. The tension between them ratcheted up until James imagined he could reach out and touch it. "Okay, then."

He followed Kendall out of the diner, neither speaking until they were outside.

James wanted to make sure they wouldn't be disturbed. "You live with your sister, right?" Having Kendall's sister catch them going at it wasn't at the top of his list of things to do. "And she's working in the bookshop?"

Kendall glanced at him, smirking. "Yes, and yes. It's open till four today, and then she and Kelly will have to close up. We've got-" He stopped to check his watch. "-at least two hours."

"Is that all?" James grinned and picked up his pace. "We'd better hurry then."

XxX

Kendall's apartment was much larger than James expected. Not huge, but the shop below them didn't seem all that spacious and yet the upstairs living area was.

After kicking off his shoes by the front door, James walked into the living room and looked around. The layout was pretty open, which probably helped.

Kendall seemed to read his thoughts. "There's a couple of rooms behind the shop, if you were wondering why it looks so much bigger up here." He stood close behind.

All James had to do was lean back slightly and he felt the whole length of him against his back. Kendall wasn't fully hard, but there was definitely some interest nudging against his ass.

"It _feels_ bigger up here too." James grinned as he spoke.

Kendall's answering laughter tickled the back of his neck. "Oh, it is." Gripping James' hips, he pushed forwards, grinding a little, and a soft moan escaped James' mouth. "Come on." He whispered. "I bet you're dying to see my bedroom."

"I really am." James' smile was huge as Kendall tugged him out of the living room and down the short hallway.

"Ignore the mess."

"What mess?" There could be a hundred things all over the floor for all James cared. The only thing grabbing his attention was the slow, teasing way Kendall peeled off his t-shirt, his smile as wide as James'. His jeans followed soon after, pooling on the floor with a clunk as his belt landed, leaving him in just a tight pair of rainbow-striped boxer briefs. James arched an eyebrow. "Colorful."

And snug. The outline of Kendall's cock stretched the material and James' mouth watered in anticipation.

Kendall slid his thumb under the waistband and ran it back and forth. He gestured at the black t-shirt hanging off the edge of the bed. "I like to liven things up under all that black." Holding James' attention, he moved his hand lower to grip the long length of his dick. "What are you waiting for?" Rubbing his fingers over the taut cotton, he added, "Clocks ticking."

James snapped back to attention and started to shed his clothes as quickly as possible. His jeans joined Kendall's, and his t-shirt flew somewhere nearby as he flung it off. All while Kendall watched him, laughing at his antics, until James too, stood in front of him in his underwear.

After taking a step forwards, he stopped and shucked off his boxer briefs as well. "Get 'em off." He motioned to Kendall's last item of clothing, waited for him to shimmy out of the rainbow-colored material, and then he closed the distance between them.

Kendall slipped an arm around James' waist and drew him in for a kiss. Flush together like that, James' cock pressed into Kendall's stomach, and Kendall's lay against James' hip, the wet tip leaving a smear of precome on his skin. They kissed, long and deep, and James' desperation increased with every stroke of Kendall's tongue.

"Bed." Kendall mumbled, pulling away to trail kisses down James' throat. Without waiting for James' answer, he maneuvered them backwards and toppled them on top of the quilt.

James' breath left him in a huff, and he looked up at a grinning Kendall propped on his elbows over him. "Now what?"

Kendall licked his lips, and drew the bottom one between his teeth. With a lazy roll of his hips, he made James moan and push back against him. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to suck you off."

"Oh God." James muttered, a shiver racing through him as he grabbed Kendall's ass in both hands, squeezing him tight and holding him in place. "Be my guest."

James slid his hands slowly up Kendall's back to rest on his shoulders, and he couldn't resist giving him a little push in the right direction. His cock throbbed, the promise of Kendall's hot wet mouth was more than enough to make him beg. " _Please_."

Kendall planted kisses all over James' chest and stomach as he shuffled his way down to settle between James' spread thighs. "Need… to hurry." He muttered between kisses. The tickle of his lips had James flinching. A giggle burst out of him, and Kendall paused to glance up. "Ticklish?"

James shook his head. _As if I'd own up to that._ "No."

Kendall's smile turned mischievous, and he grazed his lips across the skin of James' ribcage, trailing his fingers after.

"Stop!" James batted his hands out of the way and gently pushed Kendall's head further south. "You promised me blow jobs."

Almost immediately, Kendall's touches turned from teasing to focused. "I did." He said as he scooted the rest of the way down to take James in his mouth.

Warmth enveloped James and he gripped the bottom sheet, clinging on for dear life and praying he didn't embarrass himself by coming the minute Kendall used his tongue. "Fuck."

With one hand wrapped around James' cock, Kendall slid his mouth up and back down, settling into a torturously slow rhythm.

James screwed his eyes shut, enjoying the slow, careful attention Kendall paid to his dick. "More…" He whined, desperate to fall over the edge that felt so close but out of his grasp.

Finally, Kendall took pity on him and tightened his grip, stroking the base of James' dick as he worked him hard with his mouth.

"Ken-" James shoved at Kendall's shoulder in warning before his orgasm rushed through him.

Kendall pulled off and used both hands to wring out the last waves of pleasure before James stopped him, too sensitive for more.

When James opened one eye to squint down at him, he had to smile at the mess he'd made of Kendall's face. "Sorry."

"Uh-huh." Kendall smiled as he turned and wiped his chin and cheek on the bed covers. "You don't look sorry." He sat up and crawled to lie next to James, who immediately leaned in to kiss him.

The wet tip of Kendall's cock poked him in the thigh and he grinned. "Want some help with that?"

"Yeah."

James pushed him onto his back so he could return the favor. Still a little dazed from coming, he took his time, lazily mouthing at Kendall's chest.

"Sometime today, please." Kendall placed his hand on James' shoulder, fingers flexing as James moved lower and nipped the jut of his hip bone. Kendall's breath caught, and his next words was barely audible as his hips rose off the bed. "Katie… back soon..."

 _Oh shit._ With a jolt, James remembered they had a smallish window of opportunity. He'd have to explore Kendall's body another time. Now on a mission, he gripped Kendall's cock and sucked him deep.

"Oh fuck!" Kendall's hips moved his jerky little movements as though he were desperate to thrust into James' mouth but holding himself back.

James could deep-throat with the best of them, and he slipped both hands under Kendall's ass, encouraging him to go for it and fuck his mouth. A strangled moan above him was all the warning he got before Kendall came. Kendall's whole body tensed and James quickly shifted, catching some of it on his tongue and letting the rest cover his hand and Kendall's stomach.

Kendall half-heartedly patted him on the shoulder. "Come up here."

James moved back up the bed. He must have missed some with his tongue, because Kendall reached out and wiped the side of James' mouth with his thumb, then said, "I've been tested recently, by the way, in case you were wondering. And everything came back okay." He started to lean away. "I can show-"

"I believe you." The thought had crossed James' mind, but he didn't need to see evidence of it right this minute. He caught hold of Kendall's arm and pulled him back down. "And me too."

As they lay there in Kendall's bed, relaxed in the afterglow, James idly wondered when he should think about leaving. Not that it was awkward, far from it. However, he did have a little last-minute prep for school tomorrow, and the idea of bumping into Kendall's sister after spending the afternoon in bed with her brother made him squirm a bit. But he didn't want to just up and leave right away.

"Hey." Kendall nudged him with the back of his hand. His fingers brushed James', so James caught and held them in a loose grip. When he turned his head he found Kendall watching him. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just thinking."

"Oh? Do I want to know?" He rolled onto his side, untangling their fingers, and pushed up on one elbow.

James wondered if he'd done it on purpose-maybe holding hands wasn't for him-but then Kendall took James' fingers again with his other hand, putting an end to that theory. That one small action set off a curl of warmth in his chest, and he smiled to himself. "I was just wondering when your sister would be joining us."

Silence greeted his words, and then, with dawning horror, he realized what he'd just said. "Oh God, that came out wrong."

Kendall burst out laughing, and the reassuring squeeze of his fingers kept James from dying of embarrassment. "Not that I ever want to be thinking about Katie when I've got a hot, naked guy in my bed, but"-he glanced at his watch-"we have about half an hour before she gets up here."

There was probably no avoiding her, then. No way was he ready to go just yet. But he would need to think about heading home in about an hour or so. The first day of school was always hectic, settling into the new academic year and getting to know his class. Being tired wasn't an option-not one he wanted to try, anyway-and he wanted to get everything ready tonight. Rushing around in the morning was no fun.

"You brought her up first." He muttered with a smile. Then, using their joined hands, he tugged Kendall in for a kiss.

The barest hint of what they'd just done lingered on Kendall's lips, and James licked at it, chasing the taste with his tongue. He'd meant for it to be a quick kiss before suggesting they got up, but Kendall shuffled closer, his hand moving to James' hip and guiding him onto his back. "I need to go in a bit."

"Mm-hmm."

"I have to get stuff ready for school tomorrow." James spread his legs for Kendall to settle between them, then slipped his arms around Kendall's back. Being pinned to the bed like that was something James always liked. Kendall's heavy weight on top of him as they kissed, combined with the subtle movement of their hips, had James' dick half-hard again already.

Kendall shifted to the side and reached down to rearrange himself. He left his hand there, and James glanced down to watch him give his length a couple of long, easy strokes. "Fuck, I wish I could stay." James groaned.

"Me too."

If they started anything now, James would never want to leave. Reluctantly he eased Kendall off him and sat up.

Kendall did the same. "Got time for a coffee?"

"Yeah, sure." He shifted to face him better. "I don't have to leave just yet, but we should probably get up and get dressed before your sister gets back."

"Good point."

* * *

 **Done! So, it looks like Kames are moving along nicely!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Things start picking up again in the next chapter, which I'm hoping to have up on Wednesday!**

 **Until then! :)**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	11. Chapter Ten

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm back again! I was going to wait to post this, but figured I would go ahead and post it before bed. :P**

 **Before we go any further, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to Side1ways, winterschild11, and Guest for reviewing last chapter!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

James searched around on the floor for his clothes, throwing Kendall's jeans to him when he untangled them from his own.

"Thanks." Kendall said before he pulled them on and glanced around for his T-shirt. As he sat on the bed to pull his socks on, he caught James staring at the bare walls of his bedroom.

"You said you've been doing your family tree, right?"

 _Shit._ Kendall paused with his T-shirt over his head, then slowly pulled it down. "Yes."

"Don't you have it printed out anywhere?" James looked around as though expecting to see it somewhere.

The sheets of paper showing Kendall's ancestors were safely tucked away at the top of his closet. Out of sight. But what he'd forgotten about was the fucking book left out on his bedside table. Before he could subtly knock it to the floor or snatch it up, James' gaze landed on it.

He reached out to pick it up, before looking over his shoulder at Kendall. "Do you mind?"

Kendall shook his head, then forced a smile. "Of course not, go ahead."

What else could he say? He bit his lip as he watched James turn the book over and start reading the back cover. For a few tense seconds, James said nothing, and Kendall prayed he wouldn't open it and read his mother's notes. Knowing there was a book about his ancestors being witches was one thing, discovering his family believed it wholeheartedly was quite another.

And then there was the house. The book, coupled with his mom's stories, went into enough detail that James would easily put two and two together.

When he set it down unopened, Kendall breathed a sigh of relief.

But then James turned around, his eyes alight with excitement. "Oh my god!" He pointed at the book.

"What?"

"Isaac Knight. Is he your great-great-whatever?"

"Yes. We're related."

James stood, seemingly far too worked up to sit still. "And he was a witch?"

Kendall swallowed. "So they say."

 _Please don't ask me anything that I'll have to lie to you about._

"Fucking hell." James' smile was huge.

Kendall wondered if he was missing something. His ancestors were interesting, definitely, but not that interesting. Well, unless you knew the whole story. Which, thanks to his mother's notes, you would if you read that particular copy of the book.

"We found Isaac's diary." James said.

All the breath left Kendall's lungs in a whoosh. The "What?" he managed to get out sounded more like a croak.

"In the cellar." James was practically vibrating now. "Me and Dak went down to have a look around, and we found it in a dresser drawer. The inside cover read 'Property of Isaac Knight''" He shot his gaze to the book again. "That's him, right?"

Kendall nodded mutely. _Exactly like in my dream._

James hadn't finished, though. Not by a long shot. "And you said the house has been in your family for ages, so it must be the same one. Of course, the rest of the book looked blank, but still. Maybe the ink faded. It's got to be over two hundred years old." His eyes lit up again. "Or maybe it's concealed with magic. He was supposed to know-" he waved his hands in the air and wiggled his fingers-"spells and stuff, right?"

"Right." Kendall fought a burst of hysterical laughter. _If only you knew how true that was._

James sobered a little and perched himself on the bed. "Seriously, though, it's kind of exciting. Finding something so old, even though there's nothing written in it." He gestured to Kendall's face. "Although, you don't look all that bothered considering it's your old house and your ancestor."

Kendall needed to snap out of it. Plastering a smile on his face, he sat on the bed next to James and bumped shoulders. "Sorry, I'm just a little shocked, that's all."

"I'm surprised it's not a listed building or anything, considering there's a book about people who lived there."

Kendall did laugh then. "That book sold very little and is vague on the exact location of their farmhouse. I think it was written by a member of the family more as a sort of archive than for profit. That one was my mom's, and Kelly has one. Apart from the one downstairs in the shop, I don't think there's many knocking around. Besides, the original farmhouse burnt nearly to the ground. There's hardly anything left to be listed."

"Oh." James looked a bit disappointed at that, then rallied with "Do you want to see it? The book, I mean. Even though there's not mu-"

"Yes."

James startled at the forcefulness of Kendall's reply. "Um, okay, then."

 _Would it be rude to invite myself over there right this second?_

The question was on the tip of Kendall's tongue, but then James stretched, yawned, and ruined his plans.

"Not today, though. I've got lesson prep to do, and then an early night. Being in a room all day with excitable nine-year-olds is no fun if you're tired."

Kendall struggled to hide his disappointment. "I can imagine."

His fingers itched with desperate need to get his hands on that book. James didn't realize how close to the truth he was with his theory about magic hiding the words. Kendall would bet his life that book wasn't full of blank pages.

James stood to buckle his jeans. "And it'll give me a chance to find where Dak put it."

The words took a moment or two to sink in. "You've lost it? But you said-"

James shook his head. "It's somewhere in the house, just not where Dak said he left it. But it's not as though it could have moved itself, so we'll find it. Don't worry. I just need to jog his memory."

Momentarily lost for words as a myriad of reasons for the book being missing filled Kendall's head, the sound of the front door opening startled him.

"I think that's my cue to leave."

Snapping back to attention, Kendall pushed all that aside for now. "She doesn't bite." He said, more to lighten the mood than to get James to stay. Right then he wanted to go and tell Katie everything James had told him, and then maybe call Kelly. This was huge.

"I'm sure she doesn't. But I'd rather not have to chat with your sister while smelling of sex."

Kendall grimaced. "Good point." The door to Katie's bedroom closed. "She just went in her room. Now's your chance."

James grinned, his hazel eyes warm and teasing, and a little bit of the tension in Kendall eased. "You can make my apologies in a way that doesn't make me sound like an asshole."

"I'll do my best." Kendall teased before walking James to the door, managing to sneak in a kiss before he left.

Then James was gone.

Kendall turned and leaned against his front door, banging his head against the wood. "Fuck."

Katie came out of her room and stopped in her tracks when she saw him. "Everything okay? He didn't leave because of me, did he?"

"Not exactly." He took a moment to collect his thoughts before meeting her gaze. "He had stuff to prepare for school tomorrow and wasn't too thrilled with the idea of talking to you after we'd…"

"Fucked?" Katie snorted.

Kendall narrowed his eyes, ignoring the blush heating his cheeks. "No! We didn't-"

"Oh come on, it's not like I couldn't guess what the two of you were up to. With the way you were looking at each other earlier, I'm surprised you made it to lunch."

He waved her comments away and took a deep steadying breath. "James found Isaac's diary."

Katie's expression changed from amused to shocked in a second. "At the house?"

"Yep." He pushed off the door and ran a hand through his hair. "Apparently he and Dak found it in the cellar we didn't know about."

"What, it was just lying around waiting to be found?"

He shook his head. "I don't know the specifics, other than they found it in an old dresser down there."

In hindsight, he should have asked more questions, got James to tell him the details, but he'd been blindsided. His brain caught on to the fact that the diary actually existed yet wasn't in their possession.

Katie, of course, had plenty or questions. "Have they read it? Does he know about us? About our family? Did you ask to see it?"

"Jesus, Katie, one question at a time."

Her gaze slid down to the cuff he still wore, covering his tattoo. "Did you tell him about the mark?"

"Let's go and sit down." This wasn't a conversation to have standing in the hallway. The leather around his wrist felt uncomfortable now, as though Katie drawing attention to it made it more noticeable. The skin underneath itched, and with a sigh he undid the clasp and took it off.

The relief was immediate, any irritation subsiding as the air got to it. He frowned. He'd never had that reaction before. Rubbing his thumb gingerly over the black lines, he collapsed onto the sofa, Katie beside him. "No, I didn't tell him about the mark. He saw Mom's book next to my bed, so he knows a little about our family history, but not about Alexander or any of that. He didn't open it, thank God."

A yawn escaped him and he quickly covered his mouth.

"Afternoon sex will do that to you." Katie smirked when he glanced at her. "So, what about the diary? Have they read any of that?"

"No, because according James, all the pages except the first one are blank."

"Blank?"

"Yep. The only thing in it is his name, Isaac Knight."

"Hmm." She tapped her chin with her finger. "So it's hidden with magic, obviously."

"Obviously."

"Shame they didn't pass that knowledge down through the generations, too."

Kendall could only nod in agreement. His mom and his grandad might have believed that magic- _witchcraft_ -was possible, but as far as Kendall was aware, his family hadn't practiced it in a long time.

She grinned. "A nice simple reveal-writing spell would be handy right now."

Arching an eyebrow, Kendall reminded her, "It's not our book, you know."

"But-"

"They found it in the cellar of _their_ house. I can't just demand they hand it over." As much as he wanted to do exactly that.

"Shit. But he's going to show it to you, at least?"

"Yes."

"Tonight?"

Good to know he wasn't the only one eager to see it. Not that either of them had any idea how to make the words appear. And he didn't doubt for a second that Isaac's diary was full to the brim with family secrets. "No, he was too busy. And apparently they've misplaced it."

"What?!" Her voice rose to a level that made him wince. "Sorry. How have they lost it already?"

"Misplaced, not lost."

"There's a difference?" Katie asked, looking skeptical.

"I think so. Well, maybe…" He let his head fall back against the cushions. "After that weird episode in the room on Friday, Isaac's diary is conveniently missing."

Her eyebrows rose, and Kendall was again struck with how much she resembled their mother. The ache in his heart flared for a second before settling again, and he swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat, focusing on Katie's voice.

"You think it's Alexander, don't you?"

"Maybe. I know it sounds far-fetched, but-"

"But our family is full of shit like that."

"Exactly."

A heavy silence settled between them. Kendall closed his eyes for a second. Despite all the warnings from his mother about that house, anticipation of the next few weeks set his blood alight.

His life wasn't bad by any means, but it had never held so much promise of this much excitement before. Part of him hoped the weird stuff wouldn't stop, any possible danger now overshadowed by the thrill Kendall felt at the prospect of finally experiencing witchcraft first-hand.

Katie nudged him and he startled guiltily.

"I know that look." She said.

"What look?"

She shifted to face him and poked his cheek. " _That_ one. The one that says you're enjoying this all way too much." A slow smile spread across her face. "But I can't really blame you. I'm enjoying it, too."

Kendall's phone buzzed with a text message from James before he could comment on what terrible Knights they were.

 _Hey. Found the book. Wanna come over Wednesday night? -J_

Katie leaned over to read before Kendall thought to angle it away.

"Wow, is that how you talk to each other? All business, no pleasantries?"

"Hmm?" The frown he leveled at her made her roll her eyes. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing." She pointed at the text. "Reply, and say yes."

"I was about to." He typed out his message and went to put his phone on the table, but something James said at lunch stuck with him. Turning the phone over and over in his hand, he made up his mind. "I'm calling Dad."

"What the hell for?"

He scrolled through for the number, dialed, and set his phone on speaker. "Because he and Mom must have known about that fucking cellar, and we can't ask her about it."

Katie didn't answer. The call connected, the ringtone sounding loud in the suddenly quiet living room. It took four rings before someone answered.

"Hello?" His dad's familiar curt tone cut through the air, instantly making them both tense.

Kendall couldn't remember the last time they'd spoken with any fondness.

"You're on speaker so Katie can hear." Kendall replied."Why did you block the cellar off in our old house?"

He wasn't about to address the book or the dresser yet. Any mention of that would have his dad hanging up quicker than Kendall could get the words out.

The silence on the other end spoke volumes. The resigned expression on Katie's face indicated they were probably both in agreement. Their dad obviously knew about the cellar, and they weren't going to like his answer.

If he ever gave one. The line remained quiet for so long, Kendall began to wonder.

Finally, his dad sighed. "The place wasn't safe, so we blocked the door with an old bookcase. It was the one and only thing your mother and I agreed on regarding… _that stuff_. The two of you were too curious for your own good. A simple 'don't go down there' wouldn't have worked."

While his dad had a point-neither he nor Katie would have listened, and they'd have been down there at some point-Kendall got the feeling it wasn't the whole truth. "That's not the only reason, is it?"

Another sigh. "Your mother got a 'bad feeling' about it as soon as we moved in." The air quotes were obvious in his voice, and Kendall pictured the accompanying look of scorn. "Apparently, your great-aunt always kept it locked when they lived there before us, so that's what we did too." The rustle of fabric interrupted them, followed by the jangling of keys. "Look I was just on my way out. If you want to know more, then ask Kelly. She and your mother were always as thick as thieves." And then he hung up.

The abrupt end of the call didn't bother Kendall, but Katie made a small noise of surprise.

"So"-he put a hand on her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance-"we probably should call Kelly. I need to tell her about Isaac's diary, anyway."

Katie nodded, then leaned against his shoulder as he called Kelly and invited her over.

Maybe she would be able to shed some light on things. And why had the diary only turned up now after all these years?

XxX

Kelly stopped by that night for an hour or so. Long enough for a drink and for Kendall to tell her about the book and ask about the cellar. Her reactions weren't quite what he'd been expecting.

She set her glass down. "That door has been locked for as long as I can remember. When your mom and I visited your Aunt Mary we never went into the cellar or even tried. In fact, it probably did have a bookcase shoved in front of it even then. You mom used to say she sometimes felt a pull when she passed it, something calling to her to go down there. She had dreams too, and they weren't pleasant. She never told me about those, but I know they stopped all her curiosity about going into the cellar. Mine too."

"But it was Isaac's book down there, why would that give her bad dreams?"

Kelly shrugged. "I have no idea."

Katie glanced at him, and he knew what she was thinking. "My dreams aren't bad. Well, from what I remember, anyway. I just see Isaac." Even as he said it, he wondered if that was about to change. "Do you have any idea how to unlock the writing in Isaac's diary?" He addressed Kelly, mentally crossing his fingers that she might have some clue, but her apologetic look said it all.

"As far as I'm aware, I think the last practicing witch-and I use that term loosely-in your family was your great-great-aunt Anna. I don't remember that much about her, apart from her being a little scary, but she did recite spells all the time. We thought it was funny, because she was old and crazy and we were very young and rude. I'm sorry to say I paid no attention whatsoever. I always was a shitty student. But your mom hung on to her every word."

Kendall held back his groan of frustration. "Did Mom keep any notes? Like the ones in the book you gave me?" His mother seemed to be a prolific note-taker, so maybe…

"I don't remember, I'm sorry. It was years ago. Anna died when I was sixteen and your mom was nineteen. If your mom kept any notes from that time, then I don't know where they are now."

The boxes up in the loft sprung to mind. Maybe his mom his other things up there? They hadn't searched the entire area. They never really had a reason to before, but now it didn't seem beyond the realms of possibility that his mother could have secret hiding places.

Kelly sighed. "I'm sorry I'm not much help. If I'd known I'd actually need any of the stuff Anna used to spout, I would have listened harder. I'm not sure what you can do even if James shows you the book." She glanced at her phone. "It's getting late. I need to get back."

Feeling more than a little disappointed, they said their goodbyes, and she left.

XxX

Kendall sat up in bed later that night, leaning against the headboard, mulling over what Kelly had said.

Katie's voice accompanied a knock on his bedroom door. "Hey, are you still up?"

"Yeah."

The door sat slightly ajar and she stuck her head around it. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." He shifted to one side of the bed and patted the space next to him. "What's up?"

She bit her lip, a sure sign that something was bothering her. "I was just thinking about stuff."

"Okay."

"All that talk of the house got me thinking."

Unease settled like lead in his stomach. "About what?"

"Well, Dak's dad will be back in a couple of weeks. That's what the vets' receptionist said when I called them, remember?"

Kendall nodded. "What does that matter?" He failed to see why that would have his sister worried.

"I imagine one of the first things he'll do is go and see how his son's doing in his new home." She looked pointedly at him. "I know Dad said Scott doesn't know exactly why he has the mark, but he might know something. Imagine his surprise when Dak tells him James is dating a guy who used to live there. A guy whose family owned that same house for the last two hundred years and apparently has witches for ancestors."

Kendall opened his mouth, but words failed him.

Katie didn't suffer the same problem. "At the very least, he's going to think it's strange. And what happens if he sees your tattoo?"

"Why would he?"

"Well, I'm assuming James will see it as some point and realize it's the same as Dak's. Then what?" She narrowed her eyes. "Or are you planning on keeping it covered forever and just not telling him?"

"I…" He honestly hadn't thought that far ahead. _I'm so fucking stupid._

"Ken. If you plan to keep seeing James-"

"We've been on two dates."

She ignored him. "-then you need to tell him before he finds out for himself." She sighed, and Kendall felt like the younger sibling instead three years older. "What happened to telling him the truth, anyway?"

"I didn't think there was a need to once I saw Dak's tattoo. Besides, it's early in the relationship. It might not ever work out between us."

She huffed out a laugh. "Seems to be going okay so far."

"That'll change if I suddenly say to him, 'See this tattoo, James? I got it to prevent an evil spirit from using me on Halloween to help him come back to life. Oh, and by the way, all my family has one and your best friend too, because guess what? We're related!' I'm sure he'll want to keep seeing me after that."

Now Katie was the one lost for words. She sat and stared at him for a good few seconds. "I suggest you don't phrase it exactly like that. And I don't see what choice you have. Unexplainable things are happening in that house, and if James is no blood relation, then there must be something wrong with Dak's mark or something. You need to tell them both and find out what." She sat back with her arms folded.

Kendall slumped against the pillow and covered his face with both hands. He thought of James laying next to him hours before, and sighed. It had been nice while it lasted.

"I'll talk to them both this week." Kendall promised.

* * *

 **Done! So the mystery of the cellar door is solved! And it also looks like James and Dak are in for an interesting talk soon...**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter will be up sometime this weekend!**

 **Until then! :)**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	12. Chapter Eleven

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Back again with another chapter!**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Guest, and Side1ways for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _Monday, September 5, 2018_

"I'm telling you, I didn't put it there." James said, using his fork to point at the old book sitting on the kitchen counter, right where it was supposed to have been all along.

They'd both spotted it last night just before going to bed. James knew he hadn't put it there, and Dak swore it wasn't him. They were at an impasse.

"Really? Are you sure?" Dak asked, eyeing him warily as though any second James was going to grin and say 'Gotcha!'

He wasn't, because he hadn't touched the book. At all, in fact. He hadn't laid so much as one finger on it. "Positive." The leftover spaghetti bolognese he'd cooked earlier sat in the pan on the table between them. James was stuffed, but he gestured at the half-full pan. "Want any more?"

Dak shook his head, then pushed his chair back and patted his stomach. "I'm stuffed."

Stifling a yawn, James stood and started to clear the table, scooping the leftovers into a tupperware box.

Dak loaded the dishes and pans into the dishwasher, laughing as James had to stop what he was doing and yawn again. "Those nine-year-olds kicking your ass already?"

"Fuck off." He said, flicking Dak on the ear as he passed him. "I'm always exhausted the first week back after the summer break. I'd like to see you cope with tons of kids."

Dak mock shuddered. "Nope. I like the fact my patients can't talk. I wish some of the owners were the same, but you can't have everything."

James put the leftovers to the side to cool down and leaned back against the counter. "How's it going, by the way? You haven't said much about it."

Dak stood, shut the dishwasher door, and turned it on. "It's been pretty good, honestly. I've had the odd snarky comment about being newly qualified and 'I hope you know what you're doing.' But the animal side of it, I love." He bent down to stroke a curled-up Sam, asleep in his brand new bed.

Dak had taken to bringing him into whichever room they were in.

"You're going to spoil him." James was already crouching down to join him in the petting even as he said the words.

Sam purred in his sleep and Dak grinned. "Yep." He shamelessly replied.

"So, how do you feel about a drink and an episode of The Walking Dead?"

Dak looked up at him. "Where did we get up to?"

"They've just got to Terminus, I think." James stood, stretched, and grimaced at the crack of his spine. "So, how about it?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

James got two glasses out of the cupboard before grabbing a kitchen towel. Might as well clean up real quick. He reached to move the book out of the way at the same time as Dak reached for it, muttering. "Let me move that first."

James had one end, Dak the other. A tingle shot up James' arm and he let the book go. Dak did exactly the same. It landed on the counter with a loud thump.

"What the hell?!" James gasped.

Dak's head snapped up to meet his gaze. "You felt that?"

"Yeah."

Sam grumbled, a sort of hiss-growl sound, but a quick glance showed he was still fast asleep.

They looked back down at the book, and then Dak nudged the edge of it with a finger, sliding it slightly towards James.

"I don't want it." James slid it back towards Dak, then grinned at him. How ridiculous were they? "Oh, for fuck's sake. It's just a book." He grabbed it up off the counter, silently relieved when nothing happened. "And an empty one at-"

The book suddenly fell open, and the rest of the words died on James' tongue.

"What the fuck?" Dak leaned closer to him, and they stared down at the once-blank pages now covered in writing. The neat, elegant script covered page after page as James gingerly thumbed through them, fully expecting the words to disappear again any second.

"Um..." James had no idea what to say. Each new entry was marked with a date. If they believed what they were seeing, then this was Isaac Knight's diary. From almost two hundred years ago.

James swallowed, torn between sitting down to read and getting rid of it. He settled for closing it and placing it back on the kitchen worktop. It sat there looking unobtrusive, but neither of them could tear their gaze away. James blinked a couple of times, still trying to process the last few minutes.

"Whisky?" Dak clapped him on the shoulder, and James muttered a yes.

He was desperately in need of a shot of whisky right then because Dak was absolutely right.

 _What. The. Fuck?_

James slumped down into a chair, vaguely aware of the sounds of Dak moving around behind him. James purposely avoided looking over at the diary, but it was as though he felt its presence in the room, almost calling out for him to pick it up and read.

"Here." In front of him, Dak slid a tumbler half-full of amber liquid. James raised an eyebrow at the amount, but Dak shrugged. "I was tempted to pour a full glass."

The whisky did its job, taking the edge off the panic threatening to overwhelm him any moment. Another couple of swallows and James wasn't as freaked out as he had been. "It was definitely blank yesterday, right?" He asked as he took another sip. "I mean, we didn't imagine that?"

Dak coughed a little and put down his near-empty glass hard on the table. He must have knocked it back in one go, and was already reaching for the bottle to pour another.

"Don't you have to work tomorrow?" As much as James wanted to get trashed, he couldn't go into school reeking of whisky fumes.

"Not until eleven." Dak frowned down at his glass as though it was the problem. "And no, we didn't imagine it. That book was empty when we found it in the cellar."

Just the mention of the cellar sent a shiver down James' spine. "Then how?"

"No fucking clue."

Several minutes passed with neither of them speaking. James racked his brain, seeking some plausible explanation for what had just happened, but nothing came to mind. There must be a valid reason, though. He just needed to find it and set both their minds at rest.

The alcohol added to his full feeling from earlier, and he yawned again, his jaw cracking. As they sat there at the table, adrenaline left James' body, and he wanted nothing more than to go to bed even if it was only-he glanced at the kitchen clock-nine thirty. "I'm exhausted. Think I'm just going to head upstairs."

Dak hummed in agreement. "Yeah, me too. I've got some stuff I want to read up on before tomorrow." He gestured to the diary. "What about that?"

"What about it?" James stared at the book, then back at Dak.

"Aren't you curious as to what's written in it?"

"Obviously. But I'm not taking that thing upstairs with me." Just the thought of having it in his bedroom while he slept made him uneasy, although the urge to open it was only getting stronger and stronger the longer they sat there. The whole thing unnerved him, the mix of emotions setting him on edge. Maybe sleep wouldn't come so easily after all.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Dak shifted in his seat, he looked as out of sorts as James felt. "I really want to know what he wrote about, but…"

"But all of this is creepy as fuck." James finished for him.

"Exactly."

"It's been down there for years. I think it'll be good staying here for one night." Stifling another yawn as he stood, James wondered if they should tell anyone about it. If the diary really was that old, then it was probably of historical interest. He'd only told Kendall so far. _Shit._ He should probably tell Kendall the blank book wasn't so blank anymore.

They left Isaac's diary where it was. Dak tried to joke about it disappearing again, but neither of them laughed. In the end they closed the kitchen door, taking Sam with them, and headed upstairs.

James waited until he was in bed to text Kendall.

 _Hey. So… something weird happened tonight. Isaac's diary is now full of writing. -J_

He deleted the message, then typed it out again. But he didn't hit Send. Kendall was going to think he was crazy. But he hadn't freaked out the other night, and- _Oh God_. James huddled under the quilt as he recalled Kendall's words.

 _Maybe the fucking house_ is _haunted?_

After telling himself again that he was being ridiculous, he took a deep breath, tapped Send, and put the phone down.

Staring at the ceiling, he tried to think rationally. Surely, if the house was haunted by evil spirits, he'd feel something… well, evil. Okay, the book thing was freaky. Aside from the words magically appearing, the unease that followed was more because of the pull he felt when he looked at it, even though he knew reading it at night in his bedroom was a monumentally bad idea if he wanted to sleep at all.

But he didn't get an evil vibe from the house. Even the incident in the sunroom hadn't felt evil, just… _sad_. Heart-wrenchingly sad.

His phone buzzed, making him jump. "Fuck's sake." He muttered to himself as his heart raced.

He thumbed the message open and snorted.

 _WTF? -K_

Yep, that was pretty much what he and Dak thought too.

He was halfway through typing out a reply when he thought _Fuck it_ and called him instead. Whatever that was downstairs wasn't something he could properly explain in a text message.

Kendall picked up right away. "What the hell?"

"Hello to you too." James said, smiling despite agreeing with him wholeheartedly.

Kendall huffed. "Sorry." It came out muffled, and James pictured him running a hand over his face. "Hello. Now, what the fuck do you mean the diary has writing in it?"

Sighing, James settled back into his pillows and told Kendall what had happened. At this point there was no need to leave anything out. He'd already said the crazy part.

"And you're absolutely sure it was blank before?"

James counted to ten in his head so he didn't snap or say something sarcastic. It was a reasonable question, considering. But his silence obviously said enough because Kendall went on.

"Shit, sorry. That was a stupid question. It's just...what the hell?"

"Funny, that's pretty much what we'd said."

Silence again, and James wondered what was running through Kendall's mind.

"Have you read it?"

"Fuck no. We were too busy freaking out. Sam hissed in his sleep, Dak wouldn't take it with him, and there's no way I'm reading that in bed."

Kendall sighed. "Yeah, I can understand that. Can I read it? When I come over on Wednesday, I mean?"

"Of course." Isaac was Kendall's ancestor, after all.

"Um… any chance I could come tomorrow instead?"

The hint of desperation in Kendall's voice made James feel a little guilty. But while he appreciated how excited Kendall must be to get a look at it, James already had plans.

"I can't. I have a meeting after school, and then we're all going out for dinner. Sort of a welcome-back-to-school thing." He couldn't get out of the meal, and besides, it was just an old book.

He thought of the book on Kendall's bedside table and sat up with a jolt. _Witches. Jesus Christ. Anything could be in that book!_

He was almost tempted to go down and get it, but he still didn't think he could sleep with it in his room, especially if it was full of spells and witchcraft. Who knew what sort of things they got up to in those days? James shuddered and tried to think of something else. He didn't want his dreams to be full of anything like that.

Rustling on the line sounded like bedsheets moving, and a couple of inappropriate thoughts popped into James' head, a welcome relief from the weirdness. He grabbed onto them with both hands. "Are you in bed?"

Imagining a half-naked Kendall was so much better as dream fodder.

"What?" More rustling, and then "Yeah."

James bit his lip. It probably wasn't the time, and he doubted Kendall's mind had switched to sex like his own suddenly had, but fuck it, he needed to wind down and relax. "Are you naked?"

The couple of seconds it took for Kendall to answer felt like an hour. James held his breath, hoping Kendall wouldn't laugh at him or hang up.

"Just a second." Whatever Kendall was doing, he must have put the phone down because his voice seemed far away. "There"-much clearer-"I am now."

"Oh." James swallowed down the sudden lump in his throat, his heart beat a little faster. Maybe Kendall _had_ made the same leap as him. James wanted to flirt a little, not for one minute thinking they'd actually do anything. Dirty talk wasn't something he did a lot of, and he was probably crap at it.

"What about you?" Kendall's soft voice caressed the shell of James' ear, eliciting a shiver that ran down his spine to the tips of his toes. "Are you naked?"

James lifted the covers and glanced down at his saggy grey boxers that had seen better days. They might be comfy, but they needed to go. The risk of Kendall seeing him in them wasn't one worth taking. With a quick shimmy of his hips, the boxers were off and thrown unceremoniously towards the floor. "Yeah."

James lifted his knees, feet flat to the bed, and got comfy. He wanted to say something sexy or flirty, something to make himself sound fun and worth pursuing. He'd had his fair share of hook-ups in college, but now he wanted someone more permanent, and he really liked Kendall so far.

The wind chose that moment to pick up and push the closest tree's branches against his window. They barely touched the glass, but James startled, apparently still on edge from before. So what he actually said was "Oh fuck, tonight has been so weird, I'm too worked up to sleep." _Shit, that's so_ not _sexy._ "I'm sorry. I should go."

"No, don't." Kendall soothed.

God, that voice went straight to his cock, perking it right up. James reached under the covers and started to stroke himself.

"Tell me what you need." Kendall said.

The wind swirled outside, but James closed his eyes and blocked it out. "I need you to take my mind off everything."

"I can do that."

With the phone pressed next to his ear, James heard the sound of a bottle being opened. A soft moan in his ear had his mind filling in the blanks. "Have you got lube?"

"Yeah." Kendall's breath hitched. "I want my cock all wet, so I can imagine it's your mouth wrapped around it instead of my hand."

James licked his lips, remembering the taste of Kendall on his tongue. "I want to do that again."

"Me too."

For a second, James heard nothing but the soft slap of skin against skin. His cock lay against his stomach, hard and aching, and he was reaching over to his bedside drawer without even thinking about it.

"Are you touching yourself, James?"

"Getting stuff." He muttered, fumbling to open the drawer.

"Good. Make your dick as wet as mine. Picture my lips around the head and watch as I sink down ever so slowly until you hit the back of my throat. I want you to use me, make me choke on it."

James whimpered, the image as clear as day, and he wanted it so bad. The bottle of lube slipped from his grasp in his haste to get it open one-handed, and he scrambled to pick it up before loads spilled out. How could Kendall string whole sentences together when James could barely get a word out?

After pouring out enough to get his palm all slick, James grabbed his cock with a sigh of relief. It might be his own hand, but with Kendall's words filling his head, it felt fantastic. "So good." He whispered.

"Next time we can do it together. I want to feel your mouth around me while I suck you."

 _Oh God._ James tightened his grip, the easy up-and-down rhythm of his hand pulled the pleasure from deep inside him, but he needed more. "Tell me." He muttered, not exactly making sense, but too far gone to concentrate.

"I'm going to… swallow your come… take it all." Kendall spoke between stuttered breaths, and James hung on every sound he made, every choked-off word. "Want to push my… _oh fuck_ … my fingers into your ass and-"

James didn't hear the rest. The phone tumbled to the side as he jammed his fist into his mouth and arched off the bed. His stifled cry filled the room as he came over his stomach and chest.

 _Fucking hell._

James had had actual sex that hadn't been that good.

Laying there with his eyes closed as he caught his breath, his mind blissfully blank. He stayed like that for a minute or so, then he heard Kendall's tinny voice next to his ear. "Oh shit."

Wiping his hand on the bottom sheet, he then turned onto his side and scooped up the phone. "Hey, sorry."

Kendall's laughter made him smile. "I thought you'd fallen asleep on me."

"No, just recovering." He grabbed a couple of tissues from the box by his bed and wiped at the mess. "You came too, right? I don't want to be the asshole who finished and left you hanging."

More laughter. "Oh yeah, I came. _You_ might not have heard me, but I'm pretty sure Katie did. I was loud."

James felt a mix of proud and smug, even though Kendall had pretty much done all the talking. He was too sleepy and sated to feel embarrassed about his lack of contribution. "Good."

"I'm not sure she'll agree, but that was worth putting up with her complaints tomorrow."

"Mm-hmm." James yawned, and his eyes slipped shut.

"You sound exhausted, so go to sleep. Night, James."

"Night."

He had enough presence of mind to turn off his phone before sleep took him.

XxX

Dak wandered into the kitchen the following morning, with a huge knowing smile. "Sleep well?"

James froze for a second before he put his head in his hands and groaned as everything connected. "I left my door open, didn't I?"

"Yep."

"Ugh." At the back of his mind, he'd known there was something he'd forgotten. "Sorry." He flushed, remembering, and wondered just how much Dak had heard.

As if reading his mind, Dak's grin widened. "I only caught the finale."

James' shoulders sagged in slight relief. Not _totally_ mortifying, then.

"But Kendall must have a wicked silver tongue, judging by how hard you came."

"What the-?" James spluttered, but Dak held his hands up.

"Sam followed me out to the bathroom and he ran into your room. I caught an eyeful as I slipped in to get him."

 _God, kill me now._ This was far more embarrassment than he could handle before school.

Dak ruffled his hair as he passed to start a pot of coffee. "Calm down. It's not like it's anything I haven't seen before."

"That was different. And also years ago." James glared at him, but Dak ignored him and casually made two cups of coffee as if seeing James jack off to phone sex was an everyday occurrence. His indifference made it easier for James to shrug it off, which was probably what Dak intended, and he finally relaxed enough to finish his breakfast. "Speaking of Sam…" He pushed his plate away and took the coffee Dak offered with a smile of thanks. "...where is the little monster?"

Glancing under the table revealed no ball of black fur that James was starting to get used to.

"Upstairs in his bed. He was still asleep when I came down, so I left him."

"Can he cope with the stairs yet?"

Dak rolled his eyes. "Yes, he's about nine weeks old now. But I'm going back up in a minute anyway."

"Are you taking him into work again?" James asked before taking a sip of coffee and checking his phone to make sure he was okay for time. Looking at his phone made him think of last night, and he felt his blush returning.

If Dak noticed, he didn't comment. "Yep. I'll probably keep taking him until he's a little bigger. I don't want to leave him here on his own all day."

"So spoiled."

"Yep."

Neither of them mentioned the diary. It sat in the same place on the kitchen counter, like the freaky old leather elephant in the room, studiously avoided and ignored. But what James _couldn't_ ignore was the pull he still felt towards the book that felt like it was growing stronger and stronger...

* * *

 **Done! So, it looks like the blank book isn't so blank anymore, and it also seems to have an effect on James. We got a bit of James and Dak interaction this chapter, along with a bit of Kames!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **The next chapter will be up on Monday, so you won't have to wait too long for that. :)**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Me again. :P**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Guest, Side1ways, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _Wednesday, September 7, 2018_

Kendall pulled up outside James' gate and parked. Walking over would have taken too long, and he didn't have the patience for it, not when his whole body practically vibrated with excitement. Isaac Knight's diary lay just beyond the doors of James' house, and Kendall had thought of nothing else since Monday night.

Phone sex had been a nice distraction, but the more he thought about what might be written on those pages, the more he couldn't get it off his mind. And what had happened to make the words suddenly appear? That should probably have concerned him more than it did, especially after what James had told him. But the promise of seeing a first-hand account of events that took place so many years ago pushed everything else to the sidelines.

When he told Katie and Kelly, they were more interested with the hows and whys. They'd tried to insist on coming with him, but he'd persuaded them that was a terrible idea. He needed to come clean to James about everything before the rest of his family swooped in and bombarded him and Dak with with questions.

That thought had Kendall hesitating as he opened the car door. He'd promised himself he'd tell James tonight. Dak too if he was there. Hopefully it would be easier with Isaac's diary as evidence that he wasn't spouting nonsense. Kendall was confident that it contained some references to Alexander and what happened. What else would Isaac have kept a diary for if not to document his life?

James had said neither he nor Dak had read it yet, but didn't elaborate when Kendall asked why. His excuse of being to busy didn't seem true.

If Kendall was honest, the fact that they hadn't read it took away the sting of jealousy he'd experienced at not being the first to get his hands on it. He hated feeling like that. It wasn't like him, and he did his best to tamp it down.

The gate swung open with a loud creak.

James jogged down the steps from the front door to meet him.

"Hey." James said before pulling Kendall in for a kiss, and for those few seconds, Kendall forgot all about the book. James slipped his hands into Kendall's hair and moaned when Kendall grabbed his ass and squeezed.

All too soon, James smiled against his lips and then stepped away. "Come inside. Knowing my luck lately, one of my students will walk by."

Kendall let himself be tugged forwards towards the house, following James through the main entrance this time instead of the kitchen door. A small blur of black came barreling towards him and proceeded to jump at his leg and scale his jeans. "Ow!"

Needle claws caught the skin of his thigh before he could catch the kitten and carefully remove him from where he clung on.

"Sam." James admonished the kitten while grinning and barely holding in his laughter. "Leave Kendall alone."

Kendall went to put Sam down, but the loud purrs coming from such a tiny thing had him cuddling him close to his chest instead. Kittens were cute by default, but this one really was adorable. Kendall smiled and stroked Sam under the chin.

"God, you're as bad as Dak." James pointed at Sam. "That cat is so spoiled."

"I bet he won't go on your knee, will he?" He followed James into the living room. James huffed and didn't answer, so Kendall laughed at him. "Knew it."

"Sit down and shut up, or I won't show you that book you've been dying to read."

Kendall immediately did as he was told, taking Sam with him.

"Wow." James stood in front of him, a smile spreading slowly. "Such obedience! Maybe I should hold off on showing you. Just think what I could get you to do."

James had on a fitted white T-shirt and a pair of loose shorts that sat low on his hips. Kendall gave him an exaggerated once-over and then licked his lips before meeting his gaze. "Pretty sure you just have to ask."

The heated look James shot him in return was enough to make him half-hard. His jeans were too tight to sit comfortably like that, but it seemed wrong to reach down and adjust himself with a kitten asleep on his chest. He settled for shifting position.

James snorted. "Having a bit of trouble there? Let me help." He reached down and scooped up Sam laughing at Kendall's groan of disappointment. After depositing Sam in his cat bed in the corner, James turned to Kendall and rubbed his hands. "Ready to see the book?"

"Yeah." Kendall was up and out of his chair so fast he got a head rush.

"Calm down, it's not going anywhere." James steadied Kendall with a hand on his arm. "Well, hopefully not, anyway."

Kendall looked at him, both eyebrows raised in question.

"Never mind." James paused before they got to the kitchen door. "I don't know why you aren't more freaked out by what I told you, or why you believe me so easily. You've got to admit that the whole thing is weird and creepy, right? And that's understating it."

"Yeah." Kendall didn't want to explain why he found this so easy to accept. Not yet. Not until he'd seen a little of what Isaac had written. He reached for James' hand and twined their fingers together. "I trust you. You don't seem like the sort of person who'd lie." Not that Kendall knew him all that well yet, but it was still true.

James didn't say anything, but held Kendall's hand a little tighter as they entered the kitchen.

Isaac's diary sat within a few feet of him, and Kendall swore he felt power coming from it. The skin under his wrist tattoo tingled. He let go of James and squeezed his thumb under the leather cuff to rub at it. James was still hovering near the door. "You okay?"

James nodded in response, then smiled sheepishly, looking down at the floor. "I feel this… this...fuck, it sounds so stupid when I say it out loud." When he raised his head, he shrugged.

"What?" Kendall encouraged. "Just say it. I promise I won't laugh."

"I feel a pull towards it." He put a hand flat on his chest, right over his heart. "In here. Beyond initial curiosity, I'm not sure i want to know what's in a diary written by a man rumored to practice witchcraft. Part of me is tempted to walk over, open it, and read. But the other thinks it's a really bad idea."

"Books can't hurt you." Kendall tried not to sound patronizing, but James' eyebrows furrowed.

"Books also can't be blank one minute and full of words the next." He gestured at the diary with a flourish. "But what do I know?"

A thought occurred to Kendall. "Have you told anyone else besides me?"

"No. Only Dak and I know. And now you."

 _And Katie and Kelly,_ Kendall added mentally.

James sighed. "I teach nine-year-olds. I don't think it's in my best interests to spread this particular bit of information around, do you?"

"No." Kendall agreed, but not for entirely the same reason. It was bad enough James and Dak were about to find out about Alexander Knight. No one else needed to know. His gaze flickered between James and the book until James waved him forwards.

"Go on and read it, for fuck's sake. I don't want to spend all night in here. Dak will be home at some point, and I'd like to have gotten you at least a little naked before then." He smiled and winked.

Kendall grinned. "I read quickly." He walked the last few paces towards the counter.

It all happened so fast.

As Kendall walked forwards, a hissing, yowling Sam streaked across the kitchen floor right between his legs. "Fuck!"

He quickly stepped sideways to avoid stepping on him, but his heel landed in Sam's food dish. Water and food scattered everywhere as the dish slid forwards, taking Kendall's foot with it. He lost his balance and fell backwards. The counter was too far away to catch hold of, and his head hit the corner of the solid kitchen table. The last thing he was aware of was James yelling his name as he passed out.

XxX

"...called Katie… know what's happened."

"He's in there… hit his head…"

"Kendall… hear me? ...your eyes for me?"

Voices faded in and out. Kendall caught snippets of conversation, but none of it made much sense. His head throbbed and his wrist was on fire. Much better to ignore it all.

Xxx

When Kendall heard the voices again, he turned his head in their direction.

"Hey." Cool fingers smoothed over his forehead. He managed to crack one eye open.

Katie's blurry face looked back at him. It took a good few seconds and a lot of blinking to get her into focus.

The room was dark. The curtain next to him, which presumably separated his bed from the next one, blocked light from the window too. The only source of light came from the corridor outside.

"You with us this time?" Katie leaned over to kiss his forehead, before settling back in her seat with a sniffle.

"Think so." He croaked.

He took a sip of the drink she offered him. That one small movement made his head pound and a wave of nausea washed over him. _Ugh._ He shut his eyes with a wince. "What happened?" It hurt too much to think.

"As I understand it, you tripped over a kitten, landed in its food bowl, then slipped and hit your head on the kitchen table.

 _Oh God._ Now he remembered. Well, not the actual hitting his head part, but he remembered going over to James' after work. "I'd laugh if I didn't think it would hurt. How embarrassing." He sneaked another glance at Katie, but she hadn't even cracked a smile.

"You were unconscious, Kendall. James said that when you came to, you thought it was Sunday. And you broke your wrist. How is any of that funny?"

Now that she'd mentioned it, he looked down to see the bandage and temporary cast supporting his left wrist. _For fuck's sake…_ "I'm sorry." He said before closing his eyes again. "What time is it?"

"Ten past one in the morning." She punctuated it with a yawn.

Wow, over five hours had passed since he left for James' and he couldn't remember any of them. "Is he here? James, I mean?"

"No."

They'd only been seeing each other a short time, but Kendall still felt a stab of disappointment. "Oh."

Katie reached out and took hold of his uninjured hand. "Don't look so miserable. He came with you in the ambulance, and he was with you when I got here. He would have stayed, but I kicked him out."

Even with a throbbing headache, he managed to glare at her. "Why would you do that?"

"Because he has to teach in the morning and it wouldn't do anyone any good if he's exhausted, so I strongly suggested he go and get some sleep. Kelly's opening the shop for us, so I can stay until they take you to the me Medical Assessment Unit." She sighed, her grip tightening a little.

"James just left about fifteen minutes ago." She continued. "He stayed until they said you were going to be fine. Just a concussion and a broken wrist, nothing too serious. And he took a lot of persuading, if that makes you feel better. I told him there was no point in both of us staying if you were going to be asleep for most of it, but he made me promise to call him in the morning before school for an update. We got to talking while you were out, by the way. I like him."

Kendall smiled. James had wanted to stay. "I like him too."

Finally, Katie smiled back at him. "I'm not sure you should keep seeing him, though."

"What? Why? You just said-"

"On your first date, you see a ghost, and now you end up in the hospital."

"The second one was great, though."

She laughed and quickly turned serious again. "He was really worried about you. I think you scared him." Kendall knew what was coming next. "You have to tell him the truth, Ken. All of it."

"I was going to do it tonight. Or last night... whatever it is now. I was going to get a look at Isaac's diary and maybe use that to explain everything." He took another sip of water as his throat had gotten dry. "But I never got the chance."

She looked away.

Kendall got the distinct feeling she was hiding something. "Katie?" He squeezed her fingers. "You didn't tell him about-"

"Of course not. That's _your_ problem to fix."

"What, then?"

She glanced pointedly at his cast, but whether it was the concussion or lack of sleep, he failed to connect the dots.

"They took your cuff off at James' house. He hasn't said anything, so I'm not sure if he'd made the connection that it's the same as Dak's yet, but I'm pretty sure he saw your tattoo."

"Shit." Kendall let go of her hand to cover his mouth as he yawned. God, he was tired. "Dak has a lot of tattoos. Maybe he won't make the connection."

"Maybe."

The odds were highly unlikely, and they both knew it. Being best friends, James probably knew and was probably even there when Dak had got each and every one of his tats.

One of the nurses came in then to check on him, and Katie excused herself to the restroom.

Kendall wondered if he'd even got a look at the diary before everything happened. He didn't think so, but then, the events leading up to it were blurry. He closed his eyes.

The next think he knew one of the nurses was asking him questions.

"Didn't you ask me this five minutes ago?" He looked up to find her smiling at him.

"That was over an hour ago."

 _Oh._ He glanced around. All rooms probably looked the same, but he didn't think they'd moved him to the new unit. Katie sat in the chair next to his bed, looking ready to pass out. "Why don't you go home, sis? You look exhausted."

She yawned and stretched. "I'm fine."

"You don't look it." He turned his head to look at her, thankfully only feeling slight dizziness at the movement.

"I was just waiting for them to transfer you."

"I'm a big boy. Go on. I'm just going to try and sleep anyway."

She sighed, but nodded. "Okay."

XxX

Despite telling Katie to wait for the hospital to call her, she was back as soon as visiting hours started, looking surprisingly chipper. "Morning. How are you feeling?"

Kendall shrugged. "I've still got a headache."

She pulled the chair closer to his bed and sat. "Are you still sick? Dizzy?"

"A little." He glanced at his wrist. They'd only given him a small dose of pain meds because of his concussion, and his broken bone throbbed along with his head. "They're going to put a full cast on this morning."

"Yeah, I know. They said I can take you home afterwards." She yawned and patted his leg. "Hopefully it'll be soon."

XxX

Four hours later they were leaving the hospital with a bright blue cast on Kendall's wrist and instructions for Katie to keep an eye on him for the next twenty-four hours. He also had an appointment to attend the fracture clinic again. Apparently, he'd be keeping the cast on for at least eight weeks, with possible physical therapy after that. _Great._

"What time is it?" He asked as he rested back against the passenger seat of Katie's car.

Katie had his watch and phone, and besides, he had his eyes closed. The nausea hadn't quite left him, and he wasn't looking forward to the rest of the drive home.

"It's half past two. Are you hungry?"

Kendall groaned at the thought of food. "No."

The car came to a halt, probably at traffic lights, and Katie sighed. "Can you please do something dull and boring on any future dates with James? I hate to think of what might happen next time."

"If there even _is_ a next time." He opened his eyes. The traffic light changed and Katie frowned.

"I'd like to say it'll all be fine when you explain it to him, but I have no idea how he'll take it. Maybe all the strange stuff that's been happening lately will help him believe you."

Kendall closed his eyes again, hoping there was no traffic on the way home. Being in the car was no fun at all, and the sooner they got home, the better. "And the book. Don't forget that."

"James told me he was going to read it." Katie blurted.

Kendall snapped his head around to look at her, instantly regretting it. "Shit." He held onto the seat and gritted his teeth until the sick feeling passed.

Katie carried on. "To be honest, I can't believe he hasn't done it already. I'd have read that thing cover to cover by now. Anyway, if it contains any of our family history, then, like you said, this could be a good thing."

"But I need to tell him the truth about me first."

She bit her lip and glanced over at him. "I know, but when I called him this morning to let him know you were okay and getting released today, he asked me about your tattoo."

"Oh shit… what did he say?"

"He said he hadn't noticed it before and asked how long you'd had it, said it looked familiar. That's when he mentioned reading Isaac's diary." She pulled in to the parking spot behind the shop and turned the engine off. "I couldn't really tell him he should wait and talk to you first, could I?"

"Why not?"

Because-"

"Please don't talk so loud." Kendall rubbed at his temples, his headache worsening.

"Sorry." She whispered. "Maybe I should have told him to wait, but I was tired and not at my sharpest. Text him and tell him you need to talk to him."

"Yeah, okay."

"But later, when there's no chance of you throwing up on him."

As much as Kendall wanted to talk to James before he had the chance to read any of the book, Kendall had to admit that he wasn't really feeling up to it at the moment. "Maybe tomorrow."

Katie helped him inside and up the stairs to their apartment. Lying down in his darkened room made everything ten times better. His bed had never felt so comfortable.

"I'll be in the living room. Call me if you need me."

"Thanks."

* * *

 **Done! So, it looks like things didn't go as expected for Kendall. And now, James knows about the tattoo, even though he doesn't seem to have made the connection just yet.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **I'm planning on having the next chapter up by Wednesday, so you shouldn't have to wait too long for that.**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**A/N: Hello again everyone!**

 **So, before we go any further, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Guest, and Side1ways for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

"Is he awake?" James asked as he followed Katie inside and kicked off his shoes.

She glanced at him and smiled. "You don't have to do that unless they're muddy."

"Sorry. Force of habit." His mom used to go crazy if they walked around the house in shoes.

"And yes, he's awake. He's also grumpy."

James imagined a concussion and a broken wrist would do that to a guy, but he kept that to himself.

Katie smirked. "You know where his room is, right?"

Managing not to blush, he nodded. She left him in the hallway. Kendall's bedroom door was slightly ajar, and James knocked. "It's me, James."

Soft laughter sounded from inside. "I know. I heard you talking to Katie. Come in."

The last time he'd seen Kendall, he'd been lying in a hospital bed, pale and not all there. Now he sounded like his normal self. James pushed the door open and peered around it. "God, you look so much better."

The events of the previous evening still seemed impossible. If James hadn't been there to see it happen, he wouldn't have believed it.

Kendall smiled at him and beckoned him closer. "I'm not contagious, you know. You can come in." He patted the space next to him.

James walked over and sat down, leaning over to give him a soft kiss. "How are you feeling?"

"My head still hurts, and if I move too quickly, I feel sick. But not too bad considering I was in the hospital a few hours ago." He rubbed at the blue cast on his wrist, drawing James' attention.

James remembered the tattoo he'd seen there yesterday. It had looked so familiar, but he couldn't recall where he'd seen it before.

Kendall reached for his hand. "Thanks for getting me to the hospital and calling Katie."

James grasped his fingers. "You don't have to thank me. And I would have stayed longer, but Katie kicked me out."

Kendall huffed out a laugh. "Yeah, she told me. Don't feel bad, she bosses me around too."

James focused on their joined hands and sighed. "I'm so sorry about last night."

"What do you mean?"

"It was our kitten that ran through the kitchen like a banshee. If you hadn't tried to avoid him, you wouldn't have fallen and hit your head. Or broken your wrist." Guilt tugged at him again as he thought about it. "I don't know what got into him."

"It was an accident. It's no one's fault. Was Sam okay? I didn't step on him or anything?"

"No, you missed him. And he was all over you after you fell, purring and rubbing against your leg. He even refused to go back in the living room. I'm not sure what scared him, but he wouldn't set foot in there until this morning."

Kendall closed his eyes, looking weary. James wondered if he should leave and let him rest. He moved to climb off the bed, but Kendall tightened his hold on James' fingers. "Stay for a little longer? Please?"

"Okay." James relaxed back against the headboard and stuck his legs out in front of him. "Did they say how long it'll be before you're back on your feet?"

"Hopefully no more than another day or two before the worst of it goes away, but no sports or anything like that for a while."

James realized he had no idea what Kendall liked to do for fun. "Do you play a lot of sports?"

"Not really. I like to play hockey from time to time and I like to swim at least once a week, but I don't do much else." He glanced down at his wrist. "Not that I'll be doing that even after my head gets better. I keep forgetting I have to have this cast on for another eight weeks. But fingers crossed, I'll rest over the weekend and be back at work on Monday." He sighed before looking up at James. "I'm not sure I'll be up for much before Sunday, but if I'm okay by then, I'd really like to see you again. Pick up where we left off yesterday?"

"But with less drama." James had had enough of that to last him for a while.

"Yeah. A nice, boring night sounds good." Kendall said as he ran his thumb over the back of James' hand. That lone, simple touch sent a shiver through him. "Maybe not _too_ boring, though."

"We'll see how you're doing and cross that bridge then." No way were they doing anything if Kendall's head wasn't fully clear. "Concussions are nasty."

"You're telling me." Kendall stayed silent for a minute, then asked, "Have you read Isaac's diary yet? Katie said you were going to."

Kendall's voice sounded a little off, but when James looked down at him, he still had his eyes closed. "Not yet, I came straight here from school." He yawned, the late night and early morning catching up with him. "I might read a little tonight. My curiosity is getting the better of me."

"What about Dak?"

"Nah, he's too busy reading vet textbooks to be bothered with it right now." That, and Dak didn't really have any interest in touching it after the writing suddenly appeared. James sighed. He could easily settle down next to Kendall on the bed, but then he'd never want to get up again. "I should go."

"Thanks for coming by." Kendall tugged on his hand and James leaned down to kiss him.

He kept it short, despite Kendall's efforts to try and deepen it. "Sunday." He whispered. "When you're feeling better." He stood and stretched, feeling a little stiff from sitting. "I'll call you tomorrow when I get back from work."

"Yeah?" Kendall looked up and grinned. "I like it when you call me."

James flushed and shook his head, smiling wryly. "If we do that again, you need to remind me to shut my door. I don't want to give Dak another show."

Kendall laughed loudly, then winced and put a hand up to his head. "Please don't make me laugh."

"Sorry." James couldn't resist another quick kiss, before dancing back out of his reach. "See you Sunday."

XxX

When James arrived home, Dak stood in the kitchen with Sam rubbing around his feet. He looked up and smiled. "I take you went by to see Kendall?"

"Yeah." A delicious smell filled the air. James wandered over to see what Dak was cooking. "Spaghetti, again?"

Dak nodded. "Leftovers. It should be ready in about half an hour. Anyway, how's he doing?"

As James sat down at the table, he gave him a rundown on his visit with Kendall. Dak had been worried when James called to tell him what happened, but he reassured him that Kendall was relatively fine, all things considered. Sam stalked past him on the way to his bed, and James scooped him up. "Bad kitten! Tripping up my boyfriend and putting him in hospital. And all before I'd managed to get him naked, too."

Sam meowed, looking pitiful and cute, and James set him down in his lap. As usual he stayed for all of two seconds before scaling down James' shin to reach the floor. "Why am I the only one he refuses to sit on?"

When he looked up, Dak was staring at him, and his intent expression confused James. "What?"

"Boyfriend, huh?"

James frowned. "Um…" He replayed his last few sentences, then shrugged a shoulder. "Yeah."

What else would he call Kendall? If felt like forever since they'd first met outside the house, even though hardly any time had passed. Did they need to have a conversation about exclusivity or expectations? James hated talking about all that crap, preferring to let things play out instead of discussing it too soon. Playing it by ear had burnt him once in the past, but he had a good feeling about Kendall.

Dak set two pasta bowls on the counter, next to Isaac's diary. "Can we move this somewhere else?" He asked, poking at the diary as though James didn't know what he meant. "It gives me the creeps just sitting there." He turned and leaned back against the cupboards. "I get why you don't want to tell anyone about what happened to bring back the writing. Christ, I'm not even sure I really believe it, and I was there. But do we need to have the book in the house? Can't you give it to Kendall? He's already anxious to read it."

James stood and walked over towards the book. The faint tug he felt as he got nearer was so constant he almost didn't even notice it anymore. As soon as his fingers touched the faded leather, it disappeared into nothing, and he relaxed with a sigh. "Aren't you just the least bit curious as to what's in it?"

"Nope." Dak reached over to stir the spaghetti, then folded his arms and regarded James with an arched eyebrow. "Even less so after you told me Isaac Knight was a witch."

" _Rumored_ to be a witch."

"Judging by that little parlor trick…" Dak eyed the diary and grimaced. "...I'd say the rumors were true, wouldn't you?"

"Maybe." James ran his finger along the spine and tried to imagine Isaac writing in it all those years ago.

Dak nudged him, and James met his gaze. "Besides, you seem to be curious enough for both of us. Aren't you even a little creeped out by it all?"

"A little. I mean, when we first found it, yeah, but now?" In the light of the day-or early evening-the book seemed harmless. Just an old book written by a guy who'd lived two centuries ago. "Now I think it's fascinating." Dak shook his head and looked at James as though he was crazy. "You don't really think it's bewitched, do you? You know that when they used to drown people, or burn them or whatever, they weren't actually witches. Just some poor person who someone had a grudge against."

"Jay"-Dak took him by the shoulders-"we found an old book in our cellar, which is creepy enough on its own, and one day it was blank, then the next it's full of writing. How the fuck do you explain that?"

"I don't know." James honestly had no clue, but he still struggled with the idea that witchcraft was a thing. Or maybe he just wasn't that bothered anymore. "What I _do_ know is that i want to find out what's in there, and I'm going to read it tonight."

"In bed?"

"I-" Despite his earlier bravado, the thought of sleeping with the book in his bedroom still made him balk. James shook his head.

Dak let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

XxX

Anticipation rushed through James as he carried Isaac's diary into the living room after dinner.

Dak looked up from the game he was playing and frowned. Sam sat on his lap, and even he looked unhappy.

James snorted. "I'm not sitting in the kitchen. The chairs aren't comfy."

Dak pointed to the armchair farthest from him and grinned. "That one looks _really_ comfy."

With a roll of his eyes, James walked over to the armchair Dak had pointed at and settled himself before carefully opening the book.

 _If any person should find this diary, I beg of you, do not read beyond this point. You have power enough to get past my charms that I placed on the book, so you know what it is to have to hide. What follows is for my eyes only. Spells I have molded to fit my own magic, my own uses._

With mounting excitement, James turned the page, but on closer inspection he found that the next few pages had been torn out. The only indication they'd ever been there was a thin sliver of paper near the margin.

 _Well, fuck. Someone removed the spells._

On the following page was a diary entry. Not as exciting as spells would have been, but…

 _The First day of September, 1827_

 _I heard a noise tonight, so I went out with my gun to check on the sheep._

 _That was when I saw them, hidden-or so they thought-behind the small barn at the back of the farm. It was fully dark out, and at first I could not discern who Alexander was embracing, but then he stepped back, demonstrating his power with a small ball of light in his hands. It illuminated the other person's face enough for me to recognize Liam Oxton._

 _They were lucky it was I and not Father. I had my suspicions, but seeing them wrapped around each other left not the slightest room for doubt. Alexander and Liam are lovers._

 _The way they looked at each other leads me to believe that this is not a new development. Such love as I saw on their faces must have built up over time. How long have they been keeping this secret?_

 _I will not tell a soul. To do so would be the end of it, and I will not take that from them. They seemed so happy. How could I ruin anything that fills my brother with such joy? But how long can they go on like this? I fear someone else finding out. They must take more care in their actions, and I shall advise my brother accordingly._

James swallowed past the lump in his throat. From that one page, he knew the diary wasn't going to be a fun read. He'd treated it as a sort of joke until then, eager to see what was in it to satisfy his burning curiosity. But this was someone's life he was reading about. A man's real fears and worries about someone he loved.

"Hey, you okay?"

James glanced up to find Dak and Sam watching him. The sight struck him as funny, but he couldn't manage more than a weak smile. "Yeah."

"Is it full of spells and curses, then?"

He shook his head. "No. It might have been once, but now it's just a diary."

"Let me know if there's anything interesting in there." Dak turned back to his game without waiting for an answer, but James didn't miss the concerned glances Dak continued to throw his way.

James sighed as he turned to the next page.

 _The Fourth day of September, 1827_

 _I confronted Alexander today, and told him of the scene I witnessed three nights ago. Needless to say, he was fraught with worry. My assurances that I would keep their secret did little to pacify him. He is in love, as I suspected, and seeing him so upset with fear when there is nothing I can do to help him is worse than anything I have yet experienced in life. My brother is so kind and gentle, adored by his family and friends alike. But that would change in a heartbeat if the truth became known._

 _Our Father is a tolerant and fair man in most things, but I am perfectly convinced he would not be in this._

The next few entries were much the same. Isaac's worries for his brother grew as the days passed. James' heart ached for them. The words that filled the pages contained so much sadness, as though Isaac _knew_ something bad was coming but was powerless to stop it.

He'd read enough for one night.

A glance at his phone showed two texts waiting for him, and the current time display surprised him. "Why didn't you tell me it was so late?"

Dak answered without looking away from the TV. "It's only a few minutes past ten. I was going to give you a kick at half past. It was like you were in a trance or something. You looked engrossed in that thing."

"I was." Choosing not to elaborate, James thumbed through to the texts, which were both from Kendall.

 _Hey, did you read it yet? -K_

The next one had come only a minute later.

 _Sorry. Just really anxious to know what's in there. Meant to say thanks for stopping by earlier. It was really good to see you. -K_

James smiled as he read, but he hesitated before replying. He should tell Kendall what he'd read in the diary, but for some reason he didn't want to. It felt too personal, which was ridiculous considering it was nothing to do with him and Isaac was actually Kendall's relative.

Shoving aside his hesitance, he typed back.

 _Did you know Isaac's brother was gay? -J_

Kendall replied immediately.

 _I had an idea. -K_

How could he possibly know that? Surely that sort of information wasn't passed down through the generations? He typed a _?_ and sent it.

 _There's extra notes in my copy of The Knight Witches. I'll explain on Sunday. -K_

James frowned at his phone. Well, that was weird. Why not just tell him now?

 _Ok. -J_

 _What else does it say in there? -K_

For some reason, James felt like being petty and replied with _Too much to text. I'll tell you when I see you._

He regretted it as soon as he hit Send. God, he was acting like one of his students. But it was true, telling Kendall via text message seemed wrong. The story deserved more.

Kendall soon came back with _Want to make it Saturday instead? I'm bored already and it's only been one day!_

James smiled at that. _Ok. I'll see you Saturday. Going to bed now._

 _Night._

James sat back with a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead. The start of a headache suddenly thrummed in his temples, threatening to form into something nasty if he didn't take some painkillers.

"Trouble in paradise?" Dak turned the TV off, then stood with Sam tucked up against his chest, asleep. And although Dak had said it jokingly, James didn't miss the worry in his eyes.

"No. We're good." James assured him as he stood too before following Dak as he left the living room, turning off the lights as he went. "You heading upstairs?"

"Yeah, I'm exhausted." Dak pointed over James' shoulder. "Still not taking it to bed? You've had your nose stuck in it all night."

"Nope. It's not something I want to read before falling asleep."

Dak stopped with one foot on the stairs. "Is it scary?"

"No, just sad." He thought about saying more, but for some reason, the words wouldn't come.

"Oh."

James prodded him to start walking again. "Hurry up. I need to take a leak."

"Charming."

By the time he'd done his business, brushed his teeth, and got into bed, James had managed to shake the sombre mood he'd been in since reading Isaac's diary.

His dreams that night were filled with love and laughter and a sense of such completeness that James woke up smiling.

* * *

 **Done! So we got a little more of Kames this chapter. It also seems that James has started reading Isaac's diary, which contains events from the past.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Hopefully the diary entries weren't confusing or anything. I tried to write similar to how they would in the 1800s, so if you have any questions, let me know. :)**

 **There is another chapter coming either tomorrow or Friday, followed another chapter over the weekend, so you'll definitely be getting more very soon!**

 **Until next time!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm back...again. :P**

 **Before we get into the new chapter, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Guest, Side1ways, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _Saturday, September 10, 2018_

Katie met James at the door. "Thank God." She grinned and ushered him inside.

James smiled. "That bad, huh?"

"He's just bored and fed up, I think." She sighed. "Kelly and I banned him from anything work-related until Monday. He wasn't happy." Her smile turned sly. "But I'm sure that's about to change. I'll be in the shop for the next couple of hours, so you have the place to yourselves."

With a wave of her fingers, she was out the door.

James watched it click shut behind her and shook his head. Kendall was still recovering from a concussion. He was hardly going to run upstairs and jump him.

He knocked on Kendall's bedroom door and peeked around the corner a little. "Hey, is it okay to come in?"

"Yeah, of course." Kendall shuffled up a bit on his pillows. "God, I'm already sick of this. I've been so bored. I can't watch TV or read for any length of time. Even sending text messages hurt my head. I had to get Katie to type out the ones on Thursday."

James frowned as he went over to sit on the bed. "It's getting better, though, right?"

Kendall stopped playing with the edge of the quilt and met his gaze. "Yeah, sorry for complaining. It's a lot better, just not one hundred percent gone, and I want it to be."

Relieved, James smiled at him and scooted closer. "Good. And I don't care about you complaining. It's perfectly understandable. But I still don't think you should be doing much tomorrow. And definitely only light work on Monday."

"God, you sound like Katie and Kelly."

"That's because we're right." James reached for Kendall's hand and scooted down the until he lay next to him. "Hmm, that's better."

"Yeah." Kendall kissed him softly before pulling back and slowly rolling onto his side. "Much better."

Kendall had more color than on Thursday night when James had popped in, but he still looked a little pale. A lock of blond hair clung to his forehead, the rest of it stuck out at odd angles. Kendall caught him staring and reached up to mess with it.

"I know I look like shit. I barely managed a shower yesterday." He sniffed and wrinkled his nose. The action was so adorable, James wanted to cuddle him close. "I probably smell."

"Come here." Trying not to jostle him too much, James slipped his arm around Kendall's shoulders and maneuvered him until he was tucked along James' side with his head resting on his shoulder. "Is that okay?"

"More than okay."

Kendall had his eyes closed. The tension in his body seemed to have vanished, his limbs loose where he lay half draped over James. It was nice having that effect on someone. Kendall was a warm weight in his arms, solid and real.

Lying here doing nothing but enjoying each other's company felt more intimate than the sex they'd had. Kendall was feeling like crap and clearly not up for doing much, but he had wrapped himself around James like he belonged there. As if it was something they did a lot of. Comfortable. Easy.

James could get used to that.

Kendall's arm, encased in the blue cast, lay across James' stomach, and James traced along the back of Kendall's fingers. "I'm sorry about this."

"I told you." Kendall murmured, sounding half-asleep. "Accident. Not your fault."

"I know, but I still feel guilty."

"Don't."

Kendall caught hold of the ends of James' fingers and held on to them. Before long, his grip loosened and his breathing evened out.

With his head where it was, James couldn't see Kendall's face, but he was pretty sure he'd fallen asleep. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes.

XxX

"James."

"Hmm?" Cracking one eye open, it took him a few seconds to recognize where he was. God, he felt rough. Falling asleep in the middle of the day always made him feel like crap. The curtains were drawn, making it difficult to guess how long they'd slept for. "What time is it?"

"No idea, but I really need to use the bathroom." When Kendall tried to extricate himself from under James' arm, James realized he had practically clamped him to his side.

"Sorry. Hang on."

It took a little shuffling around, but finally Kendall was slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position. James wanted to reach out and help him, but he didn't know how well that would be received. His hands sort of fluttered between the two of them and Kendall laughed.

"You can give me a hand."

James stood quickly and moved in front of him. "How should I…?"

"Just give me a hand to stand up." Kendall grasped James' outstretched hand and let James take most of his weight as he hauled him up.

"Huh."

"What?"

Kendall grinned at him. "It's actually not that bad at all. I don't feel half as bad as I did yesterday."

"That's great." James smiled before glancing towards the bedroom door. "Do you need help getting to-"

"Um, no, that's okay. I can make it to the bathroom just fine on my own."

James smirked. "Okay. But let me know if you need a hand."

After sparing a quick peek at James' groin, Kendall looked up and winked at him. "Pretty sure I'll be needing one in a bit." He laughed as he left the room.

James called after him. "There'll be none of that until you're better!"

"I am better! I feel great, in fact!" Kendall called back.

James smiled threatened to make his cheeks hurt. "Sure you do."

Sudden whistling from the hallway made him laugh, and he shook his head as he heard the bathroom door close. James' phone sat on the bed where it had slipped out of his pocket earlier, and he picked it up to check the time. Twenty one minutes after three. Not as late as he'd thought, but he'd promised Dak he'd go out with him tonight, so he needed to head back soonish.

Kendall walked back in, looking fresh-faced as though he'd splashed water on himself. While not in its usual style, he'd tamed his hair into submission and not the wild mess from before. James kind of missed it. "Want to tell me about what's in Isaac diary?"

Kendall's smile was hesitant as he settled back on the bed, but when James lifted his arm up, Kendall lay back down as they'd been before.

"Okay, and you can tell me why you thought Alexander was gay."

"Deal."

James made sure they were both comfy, and repeated as much as he could remember of what'd he'd read. Kendall stayed quiet the whole time. The only reason James knew he was awake was because his fingers tapped out a constant rhythm on James' stomach. "That's as far as I got. Now it's your turn."

Kendall sighed. "That diary's going to have such a fucking sad ending."

He sounded so certain. James frowned even though Kendall couldn't see him. "How do you know? You haven't even read it."

If he'd not had Kendall plastered to his front, James might have missed the way he tensed for a second before relaxing again.

"You can just tell. Don't you think?" Kendall responded.

Maybe he was imagining things. After all, that had been exactly what he thought when reading it. "Yeah, I do." He reached for Kendall's fingers and stilled his tapping, gently pressing them flat against his stomach instead. Kendall took the opportunity to slide his fingers a little farther south. James was so tempted to let him keep going, but he shook his head and gripped him a little tighter. "Not today. Tell me about Alexander. How did you know?"

"My mom made notes in her book."

"What book?"

"That one." Kendall pointed to The Knight Witches lying next to the bed.

James automatically glanced over to the bedside table, where the book he'd picked up last Sunday sat. Oh, _that_ book. He went to reach for it, but Kendall started talking again.

"She didn't write that specifically, but it was easy enough to read between the lines." He yawned, and James took that as his cue to go. As James started to get up, Kendall protested. "I'm not tired. I just need to be out of this bed. I should probably have gotten up earlier, but then you came over, and I didn't want to." He grinned and grabbed the front of James' T-shirt, drawing him close.

There was a mix of emotions swirling in Kendall's expressive green eyes. His gaze alternated between James' eyes and his mouth, and with Kendall looking at him like that, James couldn't do anything but lean in and kiss him.

Any hopes of keeping it short and sweet were quickly dashed as Kendall slid a hand around James' neck and used his tongue to tease James' mouth open. Giving in after that was all too easy, but James still took care when pushing him onto his back.

Seeing Kendall wheeled in unconscious into an ambulance wasn't something James could wipe from his mind. Even now, the scrape of Kendall's cast across his back served as a stark reminder of what had happened only three nights ago.

Reluctantly, he broke the kiss. "I need to go. I'm going out with Dak and a few friends later, and I have to shower and change."

Pulling back enough to meet Kendall's gaze turned out to be a mistake. Rumpled hair and kiss-swollen lips were a good look for Kendall, and James was _really_ tempted to text Dak and tell him he couldn't go.

But some part of him managed to not think with his dick, and as much as he wanted to pin him to the bed and get him naked again, Kendall was still recovering from a head injury.

That thought was like a splash of cold water. James sat up and put his hand to Kendall's chest when he moved to follow him. "I can see myself out. You should stay here and rest some more."

Instead of doing that, Kendall stretched and pushed himself up to sit next to James. "The doctor said the symptoms should ease up after a few days, and honestly, I feel a lot better. I need to get up and start getting back to normal."

James narrowed his eyes. "It was a nasty fall, Kendall. You were unconscious for fuck's sake." So far he'd successfully avoided thinking about Kendall passed out on his kitchen floor, pale and unresponsive. James couldn't remember ever feeling so helpless. "Just take your time, okay? There's no rush."

Kendall had an odd look on his face, as if James' words had come as a surprise.

James thought back on what he'd said. Was it too much? They'd only known each other a couple of weeks, but fuck it, a lot had happened in that time, and it felt like months, _years_ even, not days. Maybe that was just him, though. He stood and ran a hand through his hair, buying time to sort out what he wanted to say and avoid sounding like an asshole.

Crouching down so he was more or less eye level with Kendall, he put his hands on Kendall's thighs and sighed. "I really like you. I want to keep seeing you." He smiled hopefully, and Kendall mirrored it, chasing away some of the tension James carried.

Kendall cupped his face, his hands strong and warm against James' cheeks. "I want that, too." He licked along his bottom lip, as though measuring his next words carefully. "And it's just us, right?"

James' smile widened, relieved that he hadn't had to do all the talking. "Yeah, just us." Kendall's gaze dropped to his mouth. James squeezed his thighs a little until he looked up to meet his gaze. "That means I'm going to worry, and possibly nag at you to take care of yourself. Especially after something like this." He gestured to Kendall's head and then his wrist.

"I'm hoping there won't be any more somethings like this."

James laughed. "I think we've had our fair share for now." He stood up and checked his phone. "Shit, I really do need to go now. See you tomorrow?"

Kendall nodded. "Yeah. Give me a call in the morning."

With another quick kiss, James left and let himself out, smiling all the way to his car.

XxX

"What time are we meeting them?" James shouted as he came up the stairs.

Dak walked out of the bathroom in a cloud of steam, a towel wrapped around his waist. "Seven. Thought we'd have a couple drinks first then go to the Chinese place down the road."

"Sounds good."

Since moving back after college, James, Dak and a few of their friends regularly met up for food and a few drinks. They tried for once or twice a month, but hadn't met up for a while. Summer tended to be like that, with people going off on vacation. James was looking forward to the evening. As he hurried past Dak to take his turn in the shower, his gaze caught on Dak's tattoos.

Taking a step closer, he reached out and grabbed Dak's arm before turning it so he could see better. "I knew I'd seen it somewhere before."

Dak looked down at the ink covering his bicep. "Seen what?"

James traced the lines of the small tattoo just above the crease of Dak's elbow. A perfect match to the one on Kendall's injured wrist. "This. Kendall has the exact same one."

Dak had gotten most of his tattoos done while he was in college, and James knew what some of them meant, but not all. "What does it mean?"

"Oh God, you don't remember?"

James shook his head, although… "Was that the one…?" He snapped his fingers trying to recall her name.

"Yep, Great-Aunt Anne." Dak grinned and pointed down at the swirl of black ink next to the smaller tattoo. "I wanted to get this one for my eighteenth birthday, but my dad refused to give me the money for it, said I should wait until I was older. Which was rich coming from him, seeing as I know he got his before he was eighteen."

"Oh my god, I do remember!" It all came rushing back now. "Anne gave you the money on the condition that you got that one too."

"Yep. But she didn't tell me it was the same one as my dad's. Just said that she'd given the design to the tattoo artist and he agreed he could work it into my original design."

James shook his head."I still can't believe you went ahead and got a tattoo you'd never seen before."

"The guy showed it to me before he started, and to be honest, it looked so good as a whole that I didn't pay that much attention to it. I was young, reckless, and just excited to get it."

"I remember your dad being furious."

"Yeah, not so much at me, though. But Anne was eighty-seven, he couldn't really yell at her like he wanted to. She didn't give a shit anyway, just winked at me and said it was great work."

James laughed, his gaze drawn back to the mark. "I wonder what it stands for."

"No idea, and Anne would never tell me. Only that it was 'a family mark passed down through the generations, dear.'" He affected a high-pitched tone that sounded nothing like the fierce old woman James remembered as Anne. It was still funny, though.

Dak rubbed his thumb over it, tracing the S pattern. "I wonder why Kendall's got one?"

And just like that, it wasn't funny anymore. James might have thought nothing of it-people often had similar tattoos-but this was so identical. James was almost certain. And up until the accident, Kendall had kept it covered. Was that on purpose?

A whole lot of things didn't add up, but before he could think on it further, Dak was shoving him into the bathroom.

"Hurry up, we need to leave in half an hour."

"Yeah, okay."

James stepped into the shower, his mind a whirlwind of possibilities, none of which made any sense.

XxX

Of course, James thought about it all through dinner, distracted half the time and not paying much attention to the conversation around him.

As soon as they got back to the house, Dak caught hold of his wrist and stopped him in the kitchen. "Hey, everything okay?"

James sighed. For a split second, he debated blowing him off with a 'yeah, everything's fine.' But Dak was his closest friend, and he couldn't find it in him to lie. Besides, maybe this affected Dak too. "I don't know."

Dak went and grabbed two beers out of the fridge and handed one to him.

James had probably had enough for one night, but he took it anyway. "Thanks." The cool liquid went down easily, and James drank half of it before setting it down on the table. "Something just seems... _off_."

"Off how?" Dak sat down next to him. Sam immediately scaled Dak's leg to curl up on his lap. "With Kendall?"

James' gut reaction to that was no, definitely not, but he let the thought sit for a while before answering. When they were together, it was great, and James trusted him. He didn't get any bad vibes from him, and yet… "Not exactly." He ran his fingers along the edge of the table, searching for the best way to put it. "But ever since he turned up, weird stuff keeps happening."

Dak paused his stroking of Sam's tail to glance up at him. "We found the book, though. Kendall wasn't involved in that."

"But it's a centuries-old book written by his great-whatever, and his house just happened to have belonged to someone in that family ever since. Until now. And then there's the tattoo."

"Well, when you put it like that…"

"Ugh." James put his head on the table and banged it softly. "What the fuck am I going to do?"

"Talk to him."

James sighed in frustration. _Obviously_ he needed to talk to him. "And say what, exactly? If it turns out everything is just some freaky coincidence, then I risk looking like an idiot and probably ending up single again."

"And if it's _not_ a coincidence?"

Both Dak and Sam were staring at him intently. Yet another creepy development to add to his list. He closed his eyes to block them out. "Then what possible reason could there be for you and Kendall having identical tattoos? And what does any of it have to do with this house and Isaac's diary?"

Dak yawned, cutting through the growing tension. "I don't know, Jay, but you need to talk to him. Sam likes him, which is usually a good sign, but if he's a crazy stalker or something, then it's better to know now rather than later."

He scooped Sam up with one hand and rested the other on James' shoulder. "Do it here, though, so I can keep an eye on him, just in case." Standing up and rearranging Sam into the crook of his arm, he patted James' back. "See you in the morning."

"Night."

After finishing the remainder of his beer, James turned the kitchen lights out and headed for the stairs. All things considered, he should be tired-it was a few minutes past two o'clock in the morning-but his mind showed no sign of slowing down. And his curiosity was in overdrive, desperate to find some answers to his many questions. Before he could change his mind, James ducked into the living room and grabbed Isaac's diary. Maybe he'd find some of the answers in there.

XxX

Two hours later he was still reading, unable to put the book down. The answers he found only led to more questions.

 _The Twenty-Ninth day of October, 1827_

 _I knew it was only a matter of time before their romance came to light, yet the consequences were far, far worse than I ever imagined. My Father confronted Alexander tonight. I was unaware he suspected anything between my brother and Liam. Had I known, I would have tried to intervene, to stop this from unfolding._

 _Alexander and Father went out to the barn to talk, but their harsh words travelled easily through the still night for all to hear. Every denial and explanation Alexander tried fell on deaf ears. My Father had seen Alexander and Liam locked in an embrace. Firm evidence that no fancy storytelling on Alexander's part could erase. Father would believe his own eyes over Alexander's words._

 _As I feared, my Father forbade the liaison, and in return, Alexander told him he is leaving. Their words were the most vicious, nasty terms and accusations I never thought to hear from either one, but especially not from my gentle brother._

 _Alexander stormed out of the barn and into the night._

 _I tried to talk some sense into Father, but there is no reasoning with him. Blinded by rage and disappointment, his beliefs have stopped him from seeing that his eldest son is hurting. The only thing to be thankful for is that they haven't resorted to using magic against one another yet._

 _The Thirtieth day of October, 1827_

 _Liam Oxton, Charles Oxton, Arthur and Edward Henderson, and my Father. All dead._

 _In hindsight, I should have followed my brother._

James stared at the page. That was all Isaac had written for that entry. _Christ._ He rubbed at his eyes, now dry and gritty from reading well into the early hours of the morning. What the fuck had Alexander done? From what he'd read so far, James had a soft spot for Alexander. He understood how hard it must have been for them, how scared of discovery they must have been. He almost didn't want to read anymore if Alex had done something bad. But he couldn't get to sleep not knowing.

 _The Thirty-First day of October, 1827_

 _Maybe I could have prevented the deaths that led to making the direst decision I have ever had to make. But I will never know._

 _My brother, the Alexander Knight I knew and loved, was gone. His gentle soul destroyed by the use of blood magic, dark spells that stripped all the light and goodness out of him._

 _He won't tell me what happened, he won't speak to any of us, and as harsh as it seems, I am glad, for I fear for my family when they are around him._

 _Now that Alexander has started down this road, there is no way back for him. We have one choice, and it needs to be tonight. The mark is prepared. I have mine already. Alexander has been out in the barn all morning. Goddess willing, he will remain there until all of our family are protected. To cast successfully and suppress Alexander's power, we must all wear the mark. For the binding to hold, every Knight hereafter must wear it also, or else there is a chance he will escape from the dreaded place we will send him tonight._

"Fucking hell." James' stomach dropped and his heart rate skyrocketed. Isaac had drawn a picture of the mark below the entry.

Dak's tattoo. _Kendall's_ tattoo.

He turned the page.

 _The First day of November, 1827_

 _It is done._

 _The time is barely after midnight, but I cannot sleep. My Father is dead. My beloved brother is now gone from this world by my own hand and that of my sisters and Mother. I only hope that we did the right thing tonight._

 _With Alexander's passing, my doubts are manifold._

From the minute he'd opened the diary and read the first page, James had known it wouldn't end well, but _Christ_. He felt for all of them, but most of all for Alexander. Sorrow filled him up inside as he wondered what must have happened to turn him from the gentle man everyone loved to a murderous dark witch.

He had a pretty good guess, of course, but Isaac hadn't gone into detail and James wanted to know. Not now, though. Tiredness pulled at him, making his eyes sore and his limbs heavy. James yawned and reached for his phone to check the time. Seven minutes after five. The sun would be rising soon.

There was one more thing he wanted to do before trying to catch a couple hours of sleep. Kendall contact details were at the top of his texts. He carefully typed out a new message.

 _I read more of the book. We need to talk. Come over around 2pm? -J_

With that done, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. This time his dreams were full of longing and sadness, chasing after something so important.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch it.

* * *

 **Done! So, we got a little more Kames this chapter. James has finally made the connection between Dak and Kendall's tattoos, although he doesn't know what it all means just yet. And we got more diary entries!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **I'm so glad that the diary entries came out okay and that they were easy to understand, so thank you for your comments on that. :)**

 **As I'm sure you all can tell, next chapter will be pretty big, as it'll contain the big talk between Kendall and James. That will be up either tomorrow or Sunday!**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**A/N: Hello everyone! Back again! :P**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Guest, and Side1ways for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Kendall woke up on Sunday morning feeling more or less back to normal. Apart from his wrist. That still ached, but his head didn't, and when he gingerly sat up against the headboard, he didn't feel sick or dizzy. _Thank God for that._

His good mood lasted until he picked up his phone and saw James' message waiting for him. Reading it three times didn't make it sound any less ominous.

 _We need to talk._ Four words pretty much guaranteed to make anyone dread the upcoming conversation.

Kendall didn't need to think on what the conversation would be about. James said he'd read the diary. It would all be in there, laid out in Isaac's own handwriting for James to see. Kendall _did_ feel sick then.

"Katie." He called out, getting out of bed and setting his phone on his nightstand.

She leaned around the door, still in her pajamas but looking as though she'd been up for a while. "What's up?"

"James knows."

"Which parts?"

Kendall sighed and stretched his arms above his head in an effort to chase away the nervous tension building inside him. "I don't know, but enough, I think."

She pushed the door open and came inside, perching on the end of his bed. "Have you told him any of it?"

"No. I was going to do it today." He sank down next to her with his head in his hands. "Shit. He's going to be so pissed off with me."

Katie didn't bother replying, she just rubbed his back. "Does he want to talk about it?"

He let out a humorless laugh and showed her the text message.

"Oh..." With a sigh, she rested her head on his shoulder and took his hand in hers. "Want me to come with you? I can help you explain. Maybe it'll be better if there's both of us."

"Yeah, maybe."

It couldn't hurt. Kendall was bound to get tongue-tied in front of James. He didn't do well with confrontation when he knew he was in the wrong. The last thing this situation needed was for Kendall to get lost for words.

"Okay." Katie patted his thigh and stood. "I'm going to go and shower, and then I'll open the shop."

 _Fuck, the shop!_ He'd forgotten all about that. "I'll do it. I'm feeling better now. You and Kelly must be fed up with the place by now."

Katie gave him one of those glares she'd perfected over the years. "Ken, you were injured. It's not like you just couldn't be bothered with work. Neither of us minded."

"Yeah, I know, but I still feel-"

"Stop it."

"Okay, but thank you."

She waved off his thanks and smiled. "Why don't you get dressed, have breakfast, and maybe sort through some more things in the apartment if you're bored. I'll be back up about half past one."

"We already know where Isaac's diary is, though. Is there any point in looking through her stuff now?"

Katie shrugged. "Who knows. We didn't know about those notes in her book, did we? There might be more stuff that we missed."

Kendall conceded she had a point. "Yeah, maybe I will, then."

She left to go and shower, and with a sigh, Kendall lay back down on his bed. Did he really want to go through his mom's stuff again? Probably not with the prospect of meeting a pissed-off James later. _Shit._

He should have told him the truth before now, or at least enough of it that-oh, who was he kidding? This was always going to happen. Either he came clean and sounded crazy before James read the book or he did so after James read it and looked like a liar who had been using him.

Both outcomes would put an end to the easy relationship they'd started to build. Katie had been right. It was never going to end well. Just like Isaac's diary. Except Kendall didn't plan on turning homicidal.

He grabbed his phone and read James' text again, trying to see any hint of how he felt. Nothing jumped out. As usual it was near impossible to read the tone of a text message. Replying was the polite thing to do, he knew that much. Ignoring it would be rude, and Kendall didn't want to add that to everything else, so he typed and sent a text.

 _I'll be there. Bringing Katie with me. -K_

He wasn't expecting a reply right away, but he got one.

 _Good. Dak will be here too. -J_

Oh.

 _Christ_ , it was like they were bringing their back-up. Duelling at dawn instead of meeting his boyfriend on a Sunday afternoon. Or was it his ex-boyfriend now? Kendall's stomach sank. He was looking forward to the afternoon even less now.

XxX

By the time Katie came back up, Kendall had showered, dressed and made them lunch. Other than that, he'd wasted his time reading the rest of his mother's book. Most of it was background information about the area and the rumors regarding the deaths of John Knight, Liam Oxton, his father, and a couple of the other villagers. The book suggested Alexander Knight was involved purely because he disappeared at the same time. Kendall already knew the truth, so that bit was old news, but the scribbled notes in the margin were what caught his eye.

He waited for Katie to join him in the kitchen. "Hey, take a look at this."

She thanks him as he slid the sandwich towards her and then looked at him expectantly.

"This was in Mom's notes." He opened the book to the page he'd marked and slid it across the table for her to read.

 _AK killed them. IK banished him with binding spell. Find out spell from great-aunt M and add to spell book._

"Spell book?" She sounded as skeptical as he felt. "Mom wasn't a practicing witch as far as I know. And anyway, a book of spells? This isn't an episode of Charmed."

Kendall grinned, his mom had both loved and laughed at that show. The familiar ache of loss followed, as it usually did when he remembered her, but he pushed it aside. "I know she had dreams, like me, but maybe she did other stuff too and just didn't tell us? You know dad wouldn't have liked it."

That was an understatement. Not for the first time, Kendall wondered what had drawn his mother to someone so closed off to everything she believed in. "We should ask Kelly."

He was starting to think there was a lot they didn't know about their mother.

Katie nodded and swallowed a bite of sandwich she'd just taken. "Agreed, but not now." Gesturing at Kendall's plate, she added, "Eat up, or we'll be late."

XxX

The drive to James and Dak's house seemed to take no time at all. Katie pulled on the door and sat there, looking out the windscreen at what used to be their home. In all his worry about what James was going to say, he'd forgotten this would be the first time Katie set foot in their old house since they left almost eight years ago.

"You can wait out here if you want." He turned to face her and she shook her head.

"It's fine, it just… it looks the same. Yet not."

He took her hand and squeezed it. "I know." That mix of familiarity and strangeness had been exactly how he'd felt upon going back there. "Ready?"

"Yeah, let's go." She got out of the car and locked it when Kendall joined her. "Ooh, look. We have a welcoming committee." She whispered.

Kendall glanced up to see Dak and James sitting on the kitchen steps, watching them. The doors to the kitchen stood wide open behind them.

Katie led the way over, so confident in her walk it made him smile. He had a stomach full of butterflies, yet Katie looked as calm as ever.

They all said their hellos, the atmosphere strained and uncomfortable.

Kendall met James' gaze, the wariness he found there left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. Surprisingly he didn't need to wait for Katie to take charge. The words came easily enough. "Shall we go in? There's a lot we have to tell you." He smiled, and it might've taken a couple of seconds for James to return it, but the small smile he offered gave Kendall hope.

James stood. "Yeah, okay. Come through to the living room." He brushed the back of his shorts and waited for Dak to do the same before heading inside.

Kendall nudged Katie until she looked his way. "You okay?" He mouthed, only stepping through the kitchen doors when she nodded.

Once they entered the living room, James gestured to one side of the corner sofa. "Why don't you two sit there." He and Dak sat in the other corner.

So formal. If Kendall wasn't so nervous, he might have found the whole thing funny.

Isaac's diary sat on the table in front of them, and Kendall had to clasp his hands to stop himself from reaching for it. He noted out of the corner of his eye that Katie sat the same way.

"You read all of it, then?" Kendall gestured to the book and then looked at James.

"Not all, but enough." James bit his lip, and Kendall wondered exactly how much was enough.

He decided to bite the bullet. Whatever James and Dak didn't yet know about the whole situation, they were about to find out. Before he could say anything else, Sam crawled up his shin and settled in his lap, purring loudly.

Katie snorted but didn't comment. The bundle of black fur had an unexpected calming effect on his fraught nerves, and he relaxed as he stroked down Sam's back.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at Dak first and then James. Then he told them everything. All the stories his mom, grandad, and great-aunt had told him and Katie as they grew up. About their ancestors, the mark, and why the house was kept in the family. He finished with what Kelly had told them the other night, and then sat back with a sigh.

No one spoke.

Kendall wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. Any attempt at subtlety was pointless with both James and Dak staring at him. "So that's the reason Katie and I have the same tattoo as Dak and his father. We're all related through blood to Alexander Knight."

James' gaze flitted from Dak's bicep, to Kendall's cast, and then to Katie's bare wrists.

"Mine's elsewhere." She said, answering his enquiring look. "And no, I'm not showing you. You'll have to take my word for it."

"Is that what you read in Isaac's diary?" Kendall interrupted their staring match and frowned at Katie. She could have chosen her words more carefully.

James swung his gaze away from Katie and focused on Kendall. "More or less. He talks a lot about Alex and Liam, how in love they were, and how Alex's dad was a asshole. And then something happened, people died, and Isaac killed his brother."

Kendall arched an eyebrow. "People didn't just _die_. Alexander killed them." Sam growled in his sleep and Kendall stroked him to settle him down. "Using dark magic." He added, to which James just scoffed.

Clenching his fist, he wondered why James was acting so defensive about this? "Isaac banished him to stop him from killing anyone else." He pointed at the book. "Didn't it say that in there?"

James rubbed a hand over his face. He looked exhausted. "Kind of. He didn't say exactly how they died. Just that they're dead and Alexander supposedly killed them. But who's to say that's true?" He stood and paced in front of the couch. "In fact, who's to say any of this shit is true?" He stopped, turned, and looked between Kendall and Katie. "We've got hand-me-down stories that have probably been wildly exaggerated over the years, and words supposedly written in a diary almost two hundred years ago."

Kendall carefully moved Sam onto the couch cushion and stood too. "But-"

"Magic isn't real, Kendall. Ghosts aren't real, and when people die, they can't come back to life years later."

Kendall had expected some disbelief, and a lot of questions. This whole thing was hard to accept. But not flat-out denial. James had witnessed things these past two weeks that couldn't be explained away by science. He'd been curious, and at least a little open to the idea that something else was responsible, or so Kendall had thought.

"You read the book, it says the same things I just told you. The story hasn't changed in all those years. And what about the cellar and all the weird shit that's been happening? How the fuck do you explain all that?"

They stared at each other. James was so near it would take hardly anything for Kendall to pull him closer. But the way he held himself rigid was far from welcoming, so Kendall kept his hands to himself.

Dak sighed. Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him. "Come on, Jay, you said yourself you thought something odd was going on in this house. What happened with the book was pretty creepy."

James seemed confused for a second. He closed his eyes and his shoulders sagged. "Yeah, I know. I-" With a shake of his head, he moved to sit back down on the sofa, frowning.

"Regardless of whether we believe all this"-Dak continued, waving a hand to encompass the house-"you lied. To James and to me. Was that visit at the vets a coincidence, or did you come on purpose to see me? Did you already know who'd bought the house when you came around? Were you checking up on us?"

James' gaze snapped to Kendall, his eyes narrowed. "Did you ask me out just to get a look at the house? Was this all just some elaborate plan to get your hands on that fucking diary?" Kendall wanted to look away, but he didn't. Couldn't.

"No. I liked you. I _still_ like you. It has nothing to do with any of this. I never lied about that."

"But you lied about the other stuff."

With a heavy sigh, Kendall closed his eyes for a second. "Yeah."

Fuck, there was no denying it. Everyone here knew he'd lied, which sucked. The only option was to tell the truth now and hope James understood. "My dad sent us a letter saying who he'd sold the house to. He said your dad had the mark, but didn't know about you. Since you could potentially come and see your dad here, or even be living with him, we had to be sure. That's why I came by that Sunday. The vets' said your dad was away for three weeks, so we wanted to check who'd taken the keys." He kept his eyes on Dak, fighting the urge to look over at James. "They also told us you'd joined the practice, so I thought I could bring Chandler and see if you had the mark on your wrist like me."

"So when you couldn't see it on Dak, you decided to date his best friend and get another look that way?" James looked at Kendall as he spoke. Hurt rang clear in his voice. "Fucking awesome."

"No." Kendall shook his head and reached out for him, but James backed away. "I was going to tell you everything when I came over that first time. You _and_ Dak. I knew you'd both think I was crazy, but I liked you and I wanted to ask about the mark rather than sneak around trying to catch a glimpse of it."

James' huff of disbelief was no less than he' expected. "Of course you were."

"I was, I swear."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because when I got here, Dak had his tattoos showing, and I saw it." He pointed at Dak's bicep as he explained. "He already had the mark, so everything was safe. I didn't have to look for it anymore, so I didn't see the point of bringing any of it up."

"You didn't see the point?" James laughed, harsh and humorless. "Even after I saw a fucking _ghost_ in the sunroom?! Or when we found a blank book that suddenly filled with writing? You _still_ didn't see the point?"

Kendall spoke without thinking. "You just said you didn't believe in all that."

Katie sighed and shook her head, and Kendall knew he'd just made it worse.

"Shut up! We're not talking about me. We're talking about you listening to everything I told you, after-" James stopped and swallowed.

The 'after everything we did' went unsaid, but Kendall heard it clearly enough, and he felt like shit.

"After all that, you _still_ didn't say a fucking word."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I came over on Wednesday to tell you everything, but then this happened." He raised his wrist covered in the blue cast, and James' eyes immediately dropped to it.

All the fight seemed to drain out of him, and he collapsed onto the couch. "Fuck."

With his head in his hand, James sat there, focused on the floor. Kendall wanted to sit next to him and pull him in for a hug, but he doubted that would be well received.

"What made you decide to tell us the truth?" Dak's voice startled him, and Kendall turned away from James to face him.

"Hmm?"

"On Wednesday when you came over. Why then? What changed your mind?"

Kendall sighed and glanced over to where Katie sat quietly watching from her spot on the couch. "Katie." Why hadn't he listened to her from the start? "She said that if I was serious about James, then I owed him the truth. That it would be better for me to tell him than for him to find out another way." _Like this._ "I thought I could use Isaac's diary to back up my story, and then you'd be more inclined to believe me. I had it all planned out, and then I ended up in the hospital."

"Shit." James was up and in front of him in seconds. He hesitated, his hands clenching and unclenching as though torn between wanting to touch and wanting to keep his distance. "I'm sorry. I should have asked how you were feeling before-" Beautiful hazel eyes full of both anger and concern met Kendall's.

"Before breaking up with me?" Kendall offered.

The words sounded wrong, and he immediately wished he could suck them back in.

"I'm not…" James closed his eyes for a second, breathing deeply. "I don't know what's happening with us. That's not what's important right now."

Kendall tried not to show how much that stung. They'd been together two weeks. Why should James think it was anything serious? If Kendall had got attached too quickly, that was his problem. "What is important, then?"

" _That_." James pointed at the diary. Kendall was beginning to wish they'd never found it. "The fact that it was blank and now it isn't." He gestured at Kendall's wrist and then Dak's arm. "Those marks. And why you think you need them."

"I know why we need them." Kendall refused to back down on that. The sooner James understood and believed every word he'd told them, the better.

James pointed at the diary. "And the book? How do you explain that?"

The answer tripped of his tongue. "Magic." He swore he heard Katie groan softly behind him, but his gaze remained fixed on James.

"I don't believe in magic." James' tone wavered ever so slightly.

Kendall couldn't help himself. He reached out and ran his fingers over James' clenched fist. "I think you do."

All the tension in the room seemed to hover in the air between them. The need to wrap James in his arms and hold him close was like a physical ache in his chest.

Whether it was being in this house again or the intensity of the last two weeks, he didn't know, but Kendall felt more for James than he'd expected after a handful of dates. Some instinct inside him urged him to grab James and make things right between them, but his head told him to let James decide their next move.

"Guys." Dak got up and stood next to them. "Why don't you both sit. I think we could all do with calming down a little."

They both did as they were told.

As soon as Kendall sat down, Katie grabbed his hand. Her gentle squeeze of his fingers, eased some of the stiffness in his shoulders, and he leaned into her.

"I have a question." Dak sat on the edge of the couch, close to James.

Kendall pushed down the sudden and unwelcome flare of jealousy. "Yes?"

"If I have the mark that should protect me from Alexander Knight's...spirit?" He carried on when Katie nodded. "Then why are these things happening? Because I can't come up with a single explanation that makes sense." He shot a warning glance James' way, daring him to disagree.

Katie was quicker to answer. "His power gets stronger the closer we get to Halloween. As I understand it, the tattoo is a protection rune preventing Alexander from influencing your mind and using you to facilitate his escape from Isaac's spell. But I'm not sure if it stops him from exerting his will in the house itself. When did the writing appear in the book? Was it just there when you looked, or did you touch-?"

"We touched it." Dak glanced at James, who nodded. "In the kitchen, to move it out of the way."

She directed her question to Dak. "So it was blank, and then after you touched it, writing appeared?"

"Yeah." Dak frowned. "But that wasn't the first time we touched it. I mean, we brought it up from the cellar first."

"I don't know why it didn't work then. If it _is_ somehow Alexander's influence, then you can bet he has his reasons."

Neither Dak nor James looked convinced by Katie's explanation. For all their questions, Kendall doubted either of them actually believed it was witchcraft at work.

Katie eyed Dak curiously, her gaze fixed on his tattoo. "I had another theory." Kendall attempted to catch her eye, but she wasn't paying attention to him. "Have you ever damaged your tattoo? Maybe cut your arm or-"

"Oh shit." Dak and James looked at each other, and Dak visibly paled.

"That first Christmas after we started college." James said, his gaze still locked with Dak's.

"What happened?" Katie's voice was far more patient than Kendall's would have been. Thank God he brought her along.

Dak covered his face with his hands, his harsh breath hissing out between his fingers. "We were drunk." Kendall rolled his eyes. _Of course._ "One of our friends had this party, and James and I drank way too much. We decided to walk home, beer bottles in hand, and I slipped off the curb. I dropped the bottle, it smashed on the pavement, and I landed on it. Cut my arm here-" He pointed to his forearm, then his bicep, right where the small tattoo sat. "-and here."

"You also had a big gash on your chin, but you were so pissed about cutting through your tattoo." James added.

Dak's grin was wry. "God, I remember. I'd only had it about three months. It was only a tiny cut through the bottom line of ink, but…" He swallowed thickly.

Kendall was two seconds away from grabbing him and shaking the rest of the sentence out of him. "But what?" Amazingly he managed to keep his tone even.

"But when it healed, if you look close enough, there's a tiny break in the line." With a worried expression, he glanced from Katie to Kendall and back again. "Would that do it? Would that affect the protection thing?"

Dak definitely looked like he believed them now.

"Maybe." Kendall said. While he and Katie were the most knowledgeable in the room, they were by no means experts. "Would Kelly know?"

He turned to Katie for confirmation, but she just shrugged and said, "It's worth a try."

After explaining to Dak who Kelly was, Katie slipped into the kitchen to give her a call. Dak excused himself to the bathroom, leaving Kendall alone with James. The silence was far from comfortable, and Kendall hated it. Hoping James wouldn't run off, he stood and went to sit next to him. Close, but not touching.

"Do you believe us?" Kendall waited for James to glance up and look at him. "About Isaac and Alexander and why we have the tattoos."

James kept eye contact for a couple of seconds before slumping back against the cushions and staring up at the ceiling. "Honestly? I have no idea what I believe anymore. It all sounds so far-fetched. But I know what I saw, and that fucking diary was blank when we found it. No matter how many times I say it, I still can't wrap my head around it. I do believe there's something going on with the house. As for all the protection marks and the banishing? I'm not so sure."

"Fair enough." If Kendall were in his shoes, he'd probably feel the same. The answer to the next question might be harder to take. "What about me?"

"What about you?"

But James' expression implied he knew exactly what Kendall meant. If he wanted Kendall to spell it out, then he would. "Do you believe that my feelings for you are separate from all of this?"

"Feelings?" James scoffed. "We've known each other two weeks, Kendall."

He'd expected James to be pissed off with him, and he tried not to let his words affect him. "That's true, but a lot's happened in those two weeks. It feels longer to me. I really like you, and I don't want that to stop."

James sighed and closed his eyes again, shutting Kendall out.

Kendall carried on, determined to say his piece. "I know I should have told you the truth from the start, and I'm sorry. I really am. But I'm telling the truth now, and I would have done it Wednesday before being blindsided by your demon kitten."

He wasn't trying to be funny, but James' lips twitched.

"I'm angry at you. Don't make me laugh."

Kendall huffed. "I didn't realize that me getting a concussion and a broken wrist was a laughing matter."

James' lips curled into a smile as though he just couldn't help himself. "It's not. I'm sorry, but you were taken out by something that weighs less than a bag of sugar. A _small_ bag of sugar, not even the normal size ones." His gaze dropped to Kendall's wrist and stayed there, and his smile slowly faded. "To answer your question, yes, I do believe you." He hesitated, and Kendall braced himself for the _but_.

"But the fact remains that you did lie, or withhold the truth, however you want to dress it up. And I'm not sure how I feel about that on top of all this other shit. It's all just… a lot to take in at once."

Was that it? Was all of this too much for James to be bothered with? Kendall knew he came with a lot of baggage, but he'd hoped James had gotten to know him enough not to care. Maybe he had? Maybe if he'd been able to come clean on Wednesday, it would have been different. Not that it mattered now. "Are we done, then?"

To his surprise, James reached out and held the fingers poking out from Kendall's cast. Carefully, he linked them with his own. "I don't know." He sighed again but didn't let go. "You've dumped a lot of information on us. It's going to take some time so sink in and process."

"I can understand that." And he did. He just wished he knew what would happen after.

The flush of the toilet and sound of the faucet running signalled Dak's impending return, and he quickly whispered, "Please remember that no matter how this all started, everything else was real and honest. We hardly know each other, I get that, but I think we could be really good together." He cringed inwardly at how corny that sounded. "Not many people get to hear about my freaky past. You know all my secrets now. Everything after should be smooth sailing."

James snorted. "Somehow I doubt that."

Dak entered the room but said nothing about them sitting together. He walked over to where Sam still lay curled up in the corner and sat there instead. Katie joined them seconds later, and if Kendall didn't know better, he'd think they'd coordinated it.

"Did Kelly have anything to add?" He asked, glancing at the phone still in Katie's hand.

"Not really." She took a seat next to Dak, raising an eyebrow at Kendall as she sat down.

He ignored her. "What does that mean?"

"She said she'd always understood the tattoo was for our protection, so that Alexander couldn't use his power against us, or on us, whatever. She wasn't sure if he could affect things in the house, though, let alone whether someone living here with that mark would prevent him. Apparently we should have a better idea, since we actually lived here." She shifted to face Kendall. "Do you remember anything weird happening?"

"Our whole childhood was built around weird. With Grandad and Great-Aunt Mary telling us stories."

Katie rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Not that I recall. But there were three of us in the house with the mark, so maybe that helped. And we were never here around Halloween, anyway."

Dak cut in. "Yeah, but Halloween's still about seven weeks away."

The room fell quiet.

Despite all the information passed down through his family, Kendall didn't have the answer. "I think the best thing to do is for Dak to get his tattoo fixed. I don't know if that will change anything, but it's worth a try." He glanced at Dak. "Would you be willing to do that?"

After a second or so, Dak nodded. "Yeah, I can do that. Might get another one while I'm there. I've been thinking about it for a while."

James shifted in his seat, his thigh brushing briefly against Kendall's before he realized and quickly moving it away. "As soon as he gets it fixed, then all this should stop, right?"

He appeared to be more accepting of the whole thing now that it sounded like Dak believed them. Kendall was tempted to say something about that, but he let it go. Did it really matter what it was that made him believe they were telling the truth? "As long as he gets it done before Halloween, I think everything should be fine."

Dak hummed in agreement, already scrolling through his phone. "I'll text them now."

That seemed to draw things to a close, but if Kendall acknowledged it, there'd be no reason for him to hand around.

Katie obviously thought the same, but she had no qualms about standing and slipping her phone into her pocket. "Unless you have more questions, I think we've covered everything." She looked between Dak and James, eyebrows raised.

Dak spoke first. "I've messaged them. Might be a couple weeks before I can get an appointment. I know it's just a touch-up, but I need it to fit it in around work and they're usually pretty busy."

Maybe he wasn't taking this as seriously as Kendall wanted. Surely being the boss's son meant you were allowed to take time of when you needed.

Obviously reading Kendall's mind, Dak said, "I can't take time off without a good excuse. And telling my dad's partner that I need to go and get my tattoo touched up isn't one. And I don't think telling her it's to protect me from an evil ghost would go over with her well either."

Dak had a point. Kendall stodd to join his sister, still clinging to the hope that James might ask him to stay. "I guess we should get going, then." God, he sounded pathetic even to his own ears, and he couldn't bring himself to look at anyone else.

"Please call if you have questions or if anything else happens." Katie said before tugging on the back of his T-shirt, probably trying to stop him from embarrassing himself further.

"Will do." Dak answered when James remained quiet.

He didn't say anything until Katie stepped onto the steps outside the kitchen, Kendall close behind her.

"Kendall?"

It was almost comical how quickly he stopped and spun around, desperate for any words James had for him. "Yeah?"

Four paces across the kitchen floor and James stood in front of him. He reached up and brushed a few stray strands of Kendall's hair aside. "Your head's really okay now?"

They were so close. Kendall swallowed back the urge to lean in and kiss him. He'd only got a brief glimpse of what it was like to be with James, and now it felt he was slipping through his fingers. "Yeah." He lifted his wrist. "Just this to go now."

"That's good."

Kendall watched James look down at his feet and poke his sock covered toes at the mat there. Whatever thoughts ran through his head were making him frown. "James?"

He looked up with a sad smile. "Give me some time to get my head through everything, okay?"

"Of course." _Take all the time you want._

"I'll be in touch." He ducked in to leave a fleeting kiss to Kendall's mouth, there and gone before Kendall had time to respond.

They exchanged goodbyes before Katie grabbed is hand and forced him to walk out of the kitchen instead of watching James walk away. "Come on. Let's go home."

He followed her across the gravel to the gate. "That could have gone better." He said, watching as she eyed him over her shoulder as she unlatched the gate. "What?"

She sighed. "Considering we just told them that witchcraft is a thing, and that their lovely new house if probably haunted, I think they took it pretty damn well, actually."

"I guess."

As they got to her car, she nudged him with her elbow. "He'll come around, Ken. Like he said, just give him some time."

"Yeah." Kendall wasn't in any way convinced he'd be seeing James again, but what else could he do but wait?

* * *

 **Done! So yeah, it looks like the truth is out, and Kames are kind of in limbo at the moment. They're not exactly broken up, but they're not exactly together either.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter will more than likely be up on Monday, so not too long of a wait for that. :)**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**A/N: Hello again everyone! Me again! :P**

 **Before we get into the new chapter, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter. I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Side1ways, Guest, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

James walked back into the living room and slumped into the chair. "Oh my god. Did all of that really just happen?" He glanced over to see Dak studying the tattoos on his arm, with Sam asleep on his lap. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to see where I cut it and if any other bits of it were damaged. Pass me the diary, will you? I want to compare it to Isaac's drawing. And yes, all of that did just happen."

James sighed. The last thing he felt like doing was getting anywhere near that book, but he reached out and grabbed it anyway. "Here."

"Would you mind flipping to the page where it is, for me?"

"I thought I was just passing it to you?"

Dak waved a hand at him. "You know where it is."

"Fine."

James opened it up and gingerly thumbed through the pages. After listening to Kendall and Katie talk about witchcraft and magic, he half-expected something to jump out of the book and grab him, or at least for something else weird to happen. But nothing did. The pages flipped open revealing Isaac's hand-drawn description of the protective symbol, and James swung the book around for Dak to see it better. "There."

Dak scrutinised the drawing, then his tattoo, repeating the process several times until he sat back with a frown.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Dak responded. "But I think I might have nicked the bottom of the S shape too. I might ask them to touch that bit up as well when I go." His frown melted away as he stroked Sam into loud purring and a stretch.

"Did you believe it all?" James asked. He was torn. He wanted to believe them, wanted to believe Kendall was telling the truth about everything. But that would mean ghosts were real, _magic_ was real, and when he thought of it that way, he hoped they'd told a pack of elaborate lies, after all.

Dak rested his head on the back of the couch and turned to face James. "There's plenty of evidence to support their claims. The book, your experience in the sunroom, the fact that I have the same tattoo as Kendall and Katie, and so does my dad, apparently. I can't say for sure, since I haven't looked too closely at his, but I'm willing to bet it's all true."

James thought about the odd pull he felt near the diary, although that had faded a bit since he'd started to read it. "I guess."

"You know what we should do?" Dak asked, grinning at him.

James narrowed his eyes. "Whatever it is, the answer is no."

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"True, but I know you. I'm willing to bet it's nothing I want to hear."

Dak stroked Sam again, before looking at James and attempting to make puppy eyes at him. "We could check out the cellar again."

"No."

"Aww, come on. Now that we know what went down in there, I want to take another look."

James stared at him, incredulous. "First, do you really think it's the same cellar? Second, if you do, then why the hell hasn't that put you off?"

"Where's your sense of adventure?"

James bristled. "I'm plenty adventurous."

"Mm-hmm. Yeah, of course you are." Dak grinned. "You know, it's okay if you're scared. In fact, you probably shouldn't go back down there."

Despite himself, a laugh burst out of James. "You can't reverse-psychology me. I'm not six." But even as he said the words, he knew he was going to give in.

And Dak knew it too. His grin widened and he sat back with his arms crossed. Waiting.

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Fine. But not until you've gotten that tattoo fixed."

"Deal."

XxX

At school, the start of the week was busy with new projects and planning for James' class's upcoming assembly. Having one of the early dates was never easy. He didn't know his students all that well yet, and part of him was still missing the easy days of the summer break. He needed to get his ass in gear.

The upside of being busy with school stuff was that James barely had time to focus on anything else.

Dak kept giving him looks when he got home and saw Isaac's diary in the same spot, untouched from the weekend. On Thursday, he came into the living room, where James sat on the floor at the coffee table, and finally broached the subject. "Aren't you going to finish reading it?"

"No." James didn't look up from the shapes he was cutting out for one of the wall displays in his classroom. He knew perfectly well what Dak was talking about.

"Don't you want to know how it ends?"

James set his scissors down and frowned as he looked up at Dak. "I'm pretty sure we know how it ends."

"Yeah, but there's probably more detail in there than Kendall and Katie could provide. Isaac was a part of it. He knew what actually happened, and I bet he wrote it all down in those pages."

Sitting back with his elbows on his knees, James narrowed his eyes. "If you want to know more, then why don't you read it? You're fine with going back down to the cellar, but you won't pick up a book?"

"That's different. The cellar's just an empty room." Dak eyed the book, then grimaced and shook his head, and James laughed at him.

"And that's just a book. It won't bite."

The arched eyebrow he got for that comment made him laugh even more.

Dak pointed at it. "You wouldn't touch it to start with, so don't give me that." Sam stretched out on his lap, his little body shuddering a couple of times before he curled into a ball. Dak smiled down at him. "Anyway, I picked it up yesterday when I had Sam on my knee, and he went crazy. All his fur stood up on end and he dug his claws into my leg, hissing. I'm not touching that thing again. It gives me the creeps. It's probably cursed."

"Cursed? Yet you still want me to read it."

Dak shrugged and grinned at him. "It doesn't seem to affect you."

James bit his lip, the reply on the tip of his tongue. He hadn't mentioned the pull the book had on him, thinking Dak would laugh, but maybe he wouldn't. "It does affect me."

"Oh?" And just like that, Dak's smile was gone, his eyebrows shooting up as concern clouded his features. "I didn't realize-"

"Not like that, though." James interjected as he glanced at the book, the urge to run his hands down the cracked leather spine resurfacing and getting stronger the longer he stared at it. "The opposite, in fact."

"So… you _want_ to read it?"

"More like _it_ wants me to read it." It sounded crazy when he said it out loud, but that's what it felt like. And Dak just nodded along as though it was a normal thing to say.

"So, why don't you?"

Now it was James' turn to shrug. "I don't know. I kind of liked Alexander at the start of it. Not sure I want to read about him turning into a crazed killer. I know the jist of what happened and what they had to do to him. Do I really want to read the details?" As he finished speaking, the diary suddenly flipped open and the this pages-yellowed with age-parted to reveal the start of the chapter James had gotten up to. He stared at it, stunned, and wondered why he wasn't screaming and running for the door.

The low mewl to his left startled him, and he glanced over to see Sam with his ears flat to his head and a pale Dak. The mewling continued, and Dak turned to face James. "What the hell?!" He whisper-yelled, as though the book might hear him. "I told you it was cursed." He pointed a finger at Sam. "He agrees with me."

James reached out and pulled the book into his lap, ignoring Dak's protests. Maybe it was cursed, but James didn't feel any evil residing in its pages, just an overwhelming urge to _know_.

"Want me to take it upstairs?" He asked, meeting Dak's gaze.

"Or you can take it outside and-oh I don't know, burn the fucking thing."

A chill suddenly swept through the room and they froze. Sam bared his little needle teeth.

"No." Clutching the book to his chest, James shook his head. The idea of destroying it sent a visceral sense of wrongness through him. Those words needed to be read.

"You're seriously going to read it after that?" Dak gestured at the coffee table with a jab of his hand.

"Yeah. Like you said, I should find out what really happened. If it's in here." And something told him it was. "But not now. I'll go and put it upstairs until I'm done with all this."

Dak managed a weak smile. "Yeah, don't let the angry ghost boss you around, Jay."

James scooped up the book and stood. When nothing else happened, he waved it in Dak's face. "See? It's just a book. It was probably a draft making it fall open like that." As he turned and started for the stairs, Dak's incredulous laughter followed him.

"Sure it was. I must have missed the strong breeze that just swept through here. With the windows shut."

Tucking the book under his arm, James made it halfway up the stairs before Dak shouted again.

"And I'm getting that tattoo fixed as soon as they can fit me in. Work or no work."

XxX

James eyed the book on his bedside table as he got in bed. He settled propped up against the headboard with his phone in his hand and the light quilt pooled around his hips. Kendall had left him alone as he'd asked, which was what he needed for now. But he missed him. Missed looking forward to seeing him or talking to him. He'd started to get used to the fact he had someone in his life, even though they hadn't known each other long, and it had been nice.

Without thinking about it, he opened up his message app and typed.

 _Hey. How's the wrist? -J_

Short and to the point. Nothing to misconstrue. He still needed time. Nevertheless, his heart lurched when the reply came back right away, as though Kendall had been waiting for him to get in touch.

 _It aches every now and again, but it's not too bad. Back at work, so I'm not bored anymore. -K_

 _That's good. -J_

Now what? Staring at the screen didn't help. A big part of him still resented the fact Kendall had kept secrets. He sort of understood. None of what Kendall and Katie told them was easy to believe, but still, it didn't make it any easier to get past it.

Where did that leave them? He could let it go, chalk it up to experience. It wasn't as though they were madly in love or anything. _But I was starting to feel things. The potential was there. Do I really want to let that slip through my fingers?_

Another message arrived.

 _Anything else happen over there? -K_

James hesitated. Something suddenly made him not want to share. Which was ridiculous. He shook it off and replied.

 _The diary opened all on its own, but that's it. -J_

 _That's it? I'd say that's enough, wouldn't you? -K_

James imagined Kendall staring at his phone in disbelief, and he couldn't help but smile. How had things changed so much in two weeks?

He lay down and snuggled under his quilt to get comfy before replying.

 _I'm getting used to weird shit. -J_

 _Is that a good thing? -K_

How did he reply to that? That was a loaded question, and one James wasn't ready to answer yet.

 _Maybe. Idk yet. -J_

Perhaps that answer was enough.

Kendall didn't reply, and after a couple of minutes, James set his phone on the bed next to him, the diary forgotten about. Sleep came easily enough, and he dreamt of green fields and lazy summer days, laughter and love. He woke up the next morning with an overwhelming urge, knowing he had to read the rest of Isaac's words.

XxX

Friday night, Dak went to pick his dad up from the airport and James settled on the couch with a beer and Isaac's diary. Sam refused to come anywhere near him, choosing the far corner of the couch to cuddle into instead.

He opened the book, which, unsurprisingly by now, fell open to the right page on its own.

 _The Third day of November, 1827_

 _I knew that Alexander found Liam dying by the side of the road leading to our house, but I was not fully aware of the circumstances leading up to his death. My dreams, these last two nights, were filled with what I believe are Alexander's memories. The images are so clear that I do not believe them to be anything else. I have no doubts in my mind that he is capable of such things, even from beyond the veil. My mark should keep him out, but I fear my guilt and love for my brother gives him access to my dreams._

 _I want to know what happened that night, what final act pushed my gentle brother so far that he couldn't find his way back, so I greedily go to sleep in the hope that he will show me._

 _The Fifth day of November, 1827_

 _I believe I now know the whole story. My dreams told me much, but there was also a witness that night. Liam's little brother Daniel, just twelve years of age, saw enough for me to know that Alexander has been showing me the truth._

 _After Alexander failed to meet Liam that fateful night, Liam returned home, thinking, quite rightly, that Alexander had been met with a delay. But my Father had already been to the Smithy that afternoon, where he caught Charles Oxton at his labors. He told him what he knew of their son's liaison. My Father sought an ally in forcing them apart and putting a stop to it. I have to believe he never intended what happened next._

 _They were waiting for him. Liam's father and two of his friends. They took Liam out through the back of the house, and there they used their fists to explain that he was banned from so much as speaking to Alexander again._

 _Daniel hid. He could not see them doing it, but he heard Liam refuse. Liam told his Father he loved him and was sorry for disappointing him, but that he loved Alexander too much to be parted. And then he left._

 _Instead of allowing his son to walk away and start a new life with Alexander, Charles Oxton followed him, knife in hand._

 _Later, my brother found Liam dying in a ditch by the side of the road. Stabbed and left to die there like an animal. When Alexander asked who had hurt him, Liam could only say "Father."_

 _Alexander didn't ask whose Father. As far as he was concerned, both Fathers were responsible for his lover's death. Liam died in his arms that night, and took Alexander's heart and soul with him._

 _Not that it in any way excuses Alexander's actions, but I believe I understand what drove my brother to do what he did thereafter._

 _For were they not in love?_

 _I fear that under a similar circumstance, I, too, may have done the same. I pray to our benevolent Goddess that I never have to find out._

 _My dreams stopped after that. I do not know what dark magic Alexander called on, or what spells he used, only that the next morning four more people were dead. My father, Liam's father, and the two friends who helped Oxton. None of them with any mark of violence on them._

 _In the calm after the storm, I now wonder if I did the right thing in banishing my brother. Who am I to play Judge, Juror, and Executioner? Deep in my heart, I know Alexander would not have stopped at four victims. Once that path is taken, the darkness draws you in until there is nothing left but evil. But yet he was my brother, and I loved him fiercely. Despite ending his life to protect my family and others, I shall never feel anything but guilt for doing so._

The last few pages were blank, as though Isaac Knight couldn't bear to write any more.

A lone tear trickled down James' cheek, and he wiped at it with the back of his hand, then carefully closed Isaac's diary and set it on the table. He'd been expecting it to be something like that, but... _shit_. It was so much worse reading it. The words had left him both empty and full of feeling at the same time.

Downing the last of his beer, James debated what to do next. A quick check of the time on his phone told him it was still earlyish. Seven minutes after nine. Dak had been gone a couple of hours. His dad's flight landed at seven fifty, and he'd probably stop at his dad's house for a while before coming home. That left James with about another hour or so before he could talk to someone about what he'd just read.

 _Oh, fuck it._

Kendall's number was easy to find and he pressed it before he could change his mind. Who better to understand how he felt?

It rang three times before Kendall picked up.

"Hello?"

Just the sound of Kendall's voice eased some of the emptiness in James' chest. "Hey."

The sound of a door closing was quickly followed by the rustle of sheets on Kendall's end. "You okay?"

"I read the rest of Isaac's diary." He blurted, needing to get that out there. "It was... _fuck_. It was so fucking sad."

A sigh. And then "Want to tell me about it?"

That was exactly what he'd been hoping for. James leaned his head back against the couch and told Kendall everything as best as he could remember it. It seemed like he talked without pausing, and by the time he finished, he was a little out of breath.

Kendall sighed again. "Wow. No wonder he went off the rails."

"Yeah."

"Not that he was right to go and kill them all, but-"

"But you can understand it." James finished for him. Just having someone listen and agree with him made him feel ten times lighter.

"Yeah. The whole story is awful. Alexander losing his lover and then his life. Isaac forced to kill his brother, then forever racked with guilt."

They lapsed into silence, with the odd rustle of clothing or sheets on Kendall's end.

"Are you in bed?"

More rustling and the sound of something hitting the floor. "I am now."

All at once, memories of their last phone call flooded James' mind. "Oh." That wasn't happening this time, though. "I'll let you get to sleep, then."

"Okay." Kendall waited a beat. "You can always call me if you need to talk."

"Thanks."

Silence.

James ended the call before it got any more awkward, and he closed his eyes.

XxX

The front door startled James from his snooze, and he half sat up, rubbing at his eyes.

Dak walked into the living room and stopped in the doorway. "Hey." A glance at James' face and the diary in front of him apparently clued Dak in. "You read it, then?"

"Yep." James yawned and stretched, trying to wake himself up a bit.

"All of it?"

"Yep."

"And?" Dak came around the side of the couch and sat down next to James' feet. "Christ, it's like pulling teeth. Are you going to tell me what it said?"

So James did. In just as much detail as he'd told Kendall.

Dak sat slack jawed as he listened. He waited until the end before saying, "For fuck's sake. No wonder he went a bit crazy."

James groaned. "I almost wish I'd never read it."

"So, you believe it all now?"

"I…" _Do I?_ "Yeah, I guess."

Something had changed when he read those last two entries. Isaac's words touched him deep inside, curling around his heart and settling.

Dak turned to face him, and James recognized the serious expression as his 'let's talk' face. "So, what about Kendall?"

"Ugh, what about him?" James covered his hands with his face. If he couldn't see Dak, maybe he'd go away.

"Are you going to keep seeing him?"

James shrugged. "I don't know."

"Let me ask you this." Dak said, sitting forwards and shaking James' knee until he looked at him. "What would you have said if he'd told you all of this _before_ you'd read Isaac's diary?"

"That's a hardly a fair question."

Dak waved a finger at him. "You would have written him off as a weirdo, and you know it. You can't exactly blame the guy for not rushing to tell you everything."

"I thought you'd be on my side."

"I am on your side. I've just been thinking about it." He grinned. "You've been so happy lately with him around. I like him, and I really think you should give him another chance."

"You just think he's hot."

"True. But can you honestly say you wouldn't care if you never saw him again?"

James sat there and tried to imagine it. "No."

"Well then." Dak leaned back and folded his arms as if that was that.

"It's not that simple."

"Of course it is." Sam chose that moment to yawn, stretch, and climb onto James' lap. Dak pointed at him. "See? Even Sam agrees."

"How does Sam sitting on my lap prove that?" James rolled his eyes, secretly pleased, though.

"Because you're about to make the right decision. You both really like each other. Kendall apologized for not telling you everything, and you're about to forgive him." Dak leaned over and pet Sam. "Everyone's happy."

"Maybe."

Dak looked up and fixed James with a knowing look. "Jay, I know you. If you weren't planning on seeing him again, you'd have broken it off for good on Sunday. I know it, and you know it."

God, he hated it when Dak was right. "Whatever." Dak laughed and James kicked him in the shin, careful not to dislodge Sam. "How's your dad, by the way? Did you tell him?"

"Nah, not tonight. He was exhausted. I invited him over for lunch on Sunday, though. _We_ can tell him then."

James pulled a face. "Awesome. Looking forward to it." He said, voice laced with sarcasm.

XxX

Come Sunday morning, James woke up from a broken sleep, feeling restless and just _off_. Although he couldn't remember what he'd dreamt about, he somehow knew the dreams had been strange.

That wasn't the only thing bothering him. With Dak's dad coming to see them today, they planned on telling him everything. About the house, the book, and Kendall. Doing all that without Kendall there seemed wrong.

His phone sat on the bedside table like always. No message notifications blinked at him, and the twinge of disappointment had him scooping it up, thumbing through to Kendall's number, and typing.

 _Dak's dad is coming over today. Going to tell him everything. -J_

The speed with which Kendall replied set off a spark of warmth in James' stomach. Assuming Kendall sat waiting for James to get in touch was probably more than a little foolish, but he couldn't deny he liked the idea.

 _Ok. Good luck, I guess. -K_

James tapped the side of his phone, wondering how best to phrase the next message. He blamed himself still being half-asleep for what he actually typed.

 _I feel like you should be here too. It's your family. -J_

God, that sounded like an invite, and even though he felt guilty doing it without Kendall, he wasn't sure he wanted him here either. He just...ugh. It was far too early for these decisions. Food and coffee were needed first.

Kendall's next message made him cringe.

 _I can be there if you want? -K_

His guilt grew. Messing with people wasn't something he approved of in general, never mind doing it himself. But it was like his hands had a mind of their own as the next message was typed out.

 _Thanks. But maybe just me and Dak for now._ He sighed, pictured Kendall's frown of disappointment, then added. _Can I call you if he has questions?_

 _Of course :) -K_

The fact that a simple, stupid smiley had him grinning in return spoke volumes.

 _Fuck it._ Accepting Dak was right always sucked. If he'd wanted to break things off with Kendall, he would have done it last Sunday.

Speak of the devil, Dak chose that moment to burst into his room. "Oh good, you're awake."

"What happened to knocking? Remember what happened the last time you entered my room unannounced?" James asked, looking pointedly down at his phone, still in his hand.

Dak's look of horror was priceless.

"I thought you weren't seeing him at the moment?" His gaze shot to James' crotch and then back up to his face. "Ugh, please tell me you're not-"

"No. You're safe."

"Fucker."

James laughed at him. "You should still knock before barging in. I could be-"

Dak held up his hand to stop him. "Okay, okay. Point taken." Eyeing James' phone with a look of distrust, he came in and sat on the bed. "You look shifty, though. Are you sure you weren't sexting?"

"No!" James quickly put his phone down and pushed himself up on his pillows. "What do you want anyway?"

"Oh, there's a change of plans. Dad can't make lunch, so he's coming around in a few. I offered to make him breakfast instead."

James groaned. "It's far too early to be talking about witches and killings and protection marks."

"Tough. He'll be here about-" His phone chimed and he grinned as he glanced at his screen-"now." Patting James' thigh through the quilt, Dak stood and gestured to his own pajama bottoms and T-shirt. "Just throw something on and come down. My dad won't care if you're dressed up or not. It's Sunday."

"Sunday before freaking eight o'clock!" James hissed after him. Ordinarily he liked being up early and would probably have gone out for a run, but lack of sleep left him tired and a little grumpy. After pulling on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, James made his way downstairs, following the sounds of chatting and laughter to the kitchen.

Scott Zevon was an older version of Dak, but an inch or two taller. James classed him as the perfect example of a silver fox, but would never say that in front of Dak.

"How're you settling in, son?" Scott asked James as he strode across the kitchen and pulled him into a quick hug.

James glanced at Dak around Scott's shoulder, and arched a 'have you told him anything' eyebrow.

Dak shook his head. Great, did that mean it was up to James to break the ice? "It's been an interesting three weeks, that's for sure."

"Oh?" Scott glanced between the two of them. "That sounds ominous. Dak?"

Dak sighed and gestured at the doorway. "Let's go get comfy. You'll need to be sitting down for this, Dad."

* * *

 **Done! So, it looks like weird things are still going on at the house. Specifically, with the book. Kames are still in kind of a weird place. And we learned a bit more about the Alexander/Liam/Isaac situation.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **The next chapter will be up on Wednesday, so not too long of a wait for that. :)**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**A/N: Hello again everyone! New chapter alert!**

 **Before we get started, I have to take a moment to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a special thank you to winterschild11, Side1ways, Guest, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Kendall checked his phone so much on Sunday that Katie threatened to take it from him.

"For God's sake, just call him." She whispered, leaning over the counter so the two customers currently in the bookshop couldn't hear.

"I can't. He said he needed space." Kendall slipped his phone back into his pocket, resolved not to take it out again unless it vibrated. He knew what was coming as soon as he said it. It had been a recurring argument since Wednesday.

Her hands went to her hips. "Has he texted you again?"

"He sent a few texts this morning."

"So, it's okay for him to initiate contact, but not you?"

Kendall groaned. "Katie…" For some reason his wrist throbbed more this afternoon, and he wasn't in the mood for an argument.

"Don't _Katie_ me. I get that he was pissed off with you, and I understand him wanting to think everything through. But if he's decided to open the lines of communication, then why do you feel you can't do the same?" She held her hands out. "I don't get it."

"I don't know. I guess I don't want to pressure him."

"If he hadn't contacted you at all, then fair enough, but he has. Twice. I think it's safe to assume he's okay with at least talking to you."

"Yeah, maybe you're right."

"You know I am."

Kendall looked around the shop. Only a woman remained, busy looking at the crime fiction books over to the right of the shop. "Is it okay if I slip out for a few minutes?"

Katie shooed him away. "Yes, go."

Kendall took the stairs to their apartment two at a time. Five hours had passed since James texted him. Was that enough time for them to tell Dak's dad everything? He hoped so, because the not knowing was killing him. Maybe he should have insisted on going over. This _was_ all about his family.

What if Dak's dad thought he and Katie were nutjobs? What if he wanted to take the book and have it checked for authenticity or something? People would find out about them, and the house.

Kendall's hands shook as he dialed James' number. The four rings it took for James to answer seemed like hours.

"Hey. I was just about to call you."

Kendall bit back a huff of disbelief, but the "Really?" came out sounding more than a little dubious.

"Yeah. Honest."

Okay, then. "How did it go with Dak's dad?" Kendall gripped the phone tightly.

"That's why I was going to call. Hang on a sec." A door closed, and then James was back on the line. "Funnily enough, he wasn't all that surprised. He said his aunt had told him a similar story when he was younger, but he'd dismissed her as being 'mad as a hatter.' Apparently, she was a little eccentric."

"Seems about right for a Knight descendant."

"Yeah."

Kendall decided not to be offended by that. "What about his tattoo? Did his dad say why he got it?"

James laughed. "Yeah. Seems his aunt knows just how to play the Zevon men. She offered to pay for their tattoos as long as they got some family emblem worked into them. She did this with Scott at seventeen and Dak at eighteen. They were both young and stupid once."

"Like father, like son, then."

"Yep."

"Why didn't his dad say anything when Dak got his tattoo? Surely that would have been the ideal time to bring it up?"

James let out a long sigh. He sounded tired. "According to Scott, he was embarrassed to admit he'd done the same thing, and since he thought it was all the imaginings of his crazy aunt's mind, he kept quiet."

Kendall frowned, trying to get his head around it all. "But if she told him about the mark, then she must have mentioned Isaac and the house…"

"I don't think so. From what he remembers, she used to tell him it was a symbol to protect him from evil spirits. He said he looked it up, and it was close enough to a couple of other protection symbols he found, so he assumed it was pretty harmless."

"Huh." If Kendall thought about it, it made sense that not all of Isaac's ancestors would have passed down the information practically verbatim like Kendall's had. Otherwise, he'd surely have had curious relatives knocking on his door by now. "What did he think about the book?"

"He thought it was fascinating and had a quick skim through it while he was here. But he suggested we not tell anyone else about it, because who knew what interest that might spark."

 _Thank God._ Kendall relaxed.

James laughed. "Actually, he thought it was great the house had all this history. So long as nothing bad happens, obviously. I don't think he'd feel the same if it turned out to be like Paranormal Activity or something. And neither would I, for that matter."

"No." Kendall swallowed. Was that a possibility? "Has Dak gotten his tattoo fixed yet?"

"He's going on Tuesday." Whether it was the obvious segue in conversation or the edge of urgency in Kendall's voice, something prompted James to add, "There's nothing evil in our house, Kendall. I know Alexander committed murder, but he was heartbroken and out of his mind with grief. Even if he is haunting us, I don't get the feeling that he wants to hurt anyone."

Kendall remembered the chill in the air and the look on James' face when they'd gone into the sunroom. James had been scared stiff then. Had reading Isaac's diary had that much of an effect on him? "So, what now?"

He'd meant with Dak's dad and the house, but judging by James' silence that wasn't how he'd taken it. "James?" Kendall checked his screen to make sure the call hadn't dropped.

"I'm here, sorry. I was just checking what all I had to do this week."

Kendall's smile was immediate. That sounded promising. "And?"

"Do you want to come over Thursday night? Dak will be out that night, so…"

 _So we can have make-up sex_ was the first thought that popped into Kendall's head. "Yeah, sounds good."

"Great, see you then."

They said their goodbyes, then Kendall ended the call, smiling.

When he got back downstairs, Katie took one look at him and said, "It went well, I take it?"

"Yep."

"And? Did you talk everything out? Does he understand why you waited to tell him?"

"Um…" Kendall took a step back, wondering if he could make a quick escape.

She shook her head. "You didn't talk about anything like that, did you?"

"No."

"But you're seeing him again?"

"Thursday." He fidgeted under her scrutiny. "I don't need to discuss everything. It happened, it's done, no point in rehashing it. I just want to get back to the fun stuff."

She wanted to argue with him, he could feel it, but she held her tongue and managed a smile instead. "I'm happy for you. But just make sure Dak gets that tattoo fixed before Halloween."

"He's getting it fixed on Tuesday."

"Good. Maybe things will settle down then and we can relax."

XxX

Kendall was a bag of nerves on Thursday. The day had been hot, leading into a beautiful evening, and he deciding to walk to James' house. The exercise would do him good, since he couldn't swim until his cast was off.

The kitchen doors were wide open again, and he called James' name as he crunched across the gravel towards them.

"Hey." James appeared, wiping his hands on a towel. "Did you walk over?" He glanced past Kendall's shoulder, obviously looking for his car.

"Yeah. Seemed wrong not to."

James smiled and ushered him inside. "In that case, I'll get you a beer."

The atmosphere wasn't awkward, but it was tense. Maybe they should have talked things out more? It had been almost two weeks exactly since they'd seen each other, and Kendall didn't know whether to greet him with a kiss, like he would have done then, or wait for James to make the first move.

"This feels like deja vu." James said, glancing back at him from where he stood in front of the Aga.

"Why?"

Instead of answering right away, James beckoned him closer. When Kendall was in touching distance, James reached up and cupped his face. "Because I've been wanting to do this since the moment you walked in the door." And then he kissed him.

Kendall wrapped his arms around James' waist, wanting him as close as possible. He'd missed this, missed the way James fit against him, and having it again reminded him just how much.

"Don't mind me."

Kendall jumped, startled into pulling away by Dak's voice.

James kept his hands on Kendall's jaw, refusing to let him move too far away. To Dak he said, "I thought you'd left already."

Dak held up his wallet and gave it a little shake. "Forgot this." His T-shirt showed off some of his tattoos, and Kendall tried to spot the Knight mark amongst them.

Noticing him staring, Dak turned his arm to give him a better view. "All fixed." He said before smiling and pulling down the waistband of his shorts slightly to reveal a matching one on his hip. "Got this too. Thought it couldn't hurt to be extra safe."

The new tattoo was the same design, but smaller, more delicate, and the ink was a dark purple as opposed to black. It was really great work and Kendall stared at it a bit longer, until James tapped him on his cheek.

"Hey, stop checking him out. You'll only encourage him to flirt."

"I wasn't-" Kendall started, snapping his gaze back to James' to find him grinning.

"I know." After giving Kendall a quick kiss, James focused back on Dak. "It really is a great tattoo. But we've all seen it now, so if you don't mind." He wiggled his fingers in the direction of the door.

"I'm going, don't worry." He chuckled, giving them both a wave before leaving them alone.

"So he has two protection marks." Obviously they were taking it seriously now. Dak appeared to be, at least.

James laughed. "Yeah, I was a little surprised when he came back and showed me." His fingers curled around the back of Kendall's neck, playing with the bit on hair at his nape. "If that doesn't stop all the weirdness from happening, then we'll just have to move out."

He said it as a joke, Kendall knew, but as soon as the words resonated, it was as if the whole room got warmer. He hadn't thought it was cool in there until it suddenly wasn't. "Do you feel that?"

"What?" James' fingers stilled.

"It's not as cold in here anymore."

"There's been a nice breeze flowing through the patio doors all day. I guess it just died down." James shrugged.

"Maybe." That made sense, but some innate part of Kendall knew that wasn't the reason.

James drew back a little, a frown on his face. "You think it's something else?"

"I don't know. I just…" He struggled to put it into words. But really, how much worse could it get? James already knew about his crazy beliefs. "It felt something lifted, or left… or… it's hard to explain." He had an idea. "Can we go take a look in your sunroom? And bring Sam with us. I take it he still hates it in there?"

"Oh, yeah. He won't even go in with Dak, and he follows him everywhere."

Searching for Sam proved easy enough. A ball of black fur curled up in the corner of the couch. James scooped him up without too much protest. "Come on, then." He nodded for Kendall to go first. "Lead the way. I'm guessing you want to see if either of us freak out, right?"

"Something like that."

"Well, if he scratches me, I'm blaming you."

"Mm-hmm." Kendall glanced back at him and winked. "I'll be sure to kiss it better."

"Deal."

The sunroom wasn't dark this time, but early-evening light was fading fast, creating a lot of shadows. Kendall stepped over the threshold into the room, and just as he'd expected, no sudden chill greeted him like it had last time.

James, a little more hesitant, took time to join him. But a few seconds later, he stood beside him, with Sam still sound asleep in his arms. "Well, this is new." James muttered. His whole expression lightened as it dawned on him that something _had_ changed.

"Try him over near the cellar."

James raised both eyebrows. "I don't care if it seems like _something_ has gone from the house, I'm still not going down there at night." He refused to budge, so Kendall didn't push despite being desperate to get a look down there.

Some other time. In daylight.

"Okay." It didn't stop Kendall from walking over to the door and laying his palm flat against it. A shiver ran down his spine as his skin touched the wood, but he didn't flinch. It felt neither bad nor good. A hint of magic that lay down there, maybe? Who knew. It went as quickly as it had come, and Kendall stepped back, rubbing absently at the flat of his hand.

"Everything okay?" James asked from over by the door, clearly ready to leave.

"Yeah." Kendall shook off whatever it was and smiled at him. "What's for dinner? I'm starving."

XxX

Turned out dinner was a pizza that James ordered, and not the delicious smelling soup in the pan on the cooker.

Kendal finished off the last slice and sat back patting his full stomach. "If we ordered pizza, why are you cooking soup?"

"It's Dak and I's lunch for tomorrow."

"Oh." Now that he'd mentioned it, Kendall noticed the Tupperware waiting out on the counter. "You guys are like an old married couple. Did you two ever…?"

James stood and started to clear the table. "Yes. But that was a long time ago."

Predictably, Kendall felt a flare of jealousy, but he easily pushed it to the back of his mind. Not for one second did he believe there was anything between them now, except friendship. "The two of you seem very organized and domesticated."

"Yeah, I guess. We're really close and do a lot for each other, but not everything."

Kendall didn't miss the way James' gaze swept down to his mouth. "Oh?" He licked his lips and stood to join him at the sink. "Such as?"

"Come upstairs, and I'll show you." He punctuated his offer with a squeeze of Kendall's ass, making him laugh and step back.

"After you."

* * *

 _Saturday, October 15, 2018_

"Are you seeing Kendall today?" Dak asked as he leaned on the living room door frame, flashlight in hand.

James looked from Dak's face to the flashlight and back. "Not until later. Why?"

Dak gave the flashlight a wiggle. "It's been over three weeks since I got my tattoo fixed, and nothing weird has happened since then. I think we're safe to go check out the cellar again. See what needs to be done for the party."

James groaned and set aside the workbooks he was currently halfway through marking. Saturday mornings always seemed to be spent doing school stuff these days. "I thought you'd forgotten about that."

"Nope." He came in and sat down on the couch next to James. "We've invited everyone over now. And that cellar is perfect for Halloween."

"Too perfect." James mumbled and set his pen down. The idea of the cellar still made him uneasy, despite the house now seemingly magic-free. Dak stuck out his bottom lip. "That has never worked on me."

"Fine. _Please_ come and check out the cellar with me, Jay. This is the first party in our house. The first time we'll be together with all of our friends in years, maybe since the start of college. I want it to be great."

God, how could he possibly say no to that? "Come on, then."

Sam followed, meowing for Dak to pick him up, which he did. When they got to the sunroom at the back of the house, he set him down on one of the chairs in there, much to Sam's disgust. Dak laughed. "You can't come down there with us, Sam. Sorry." He gave him a little rub behind his ears and turned to James. "Shall we?"

James nodded, already envious of Sam.

Dak opened the door.

James flicked on the light, which thankfully came on right away. He pointed at the flashlight still in Dak's hand. "Why do you have that?"

"Just in case."

 _Fair enough._ James had no wish to be caught down there in the dark either. "Good thinking."

Dak tapped his cheek. "I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

James laughed and gave him a gentle shove forwards down the steps. "Let's get this over with."

The cellar was just as creepy as James remembered. Spiderwebs clung to the walls, and a thick layer of dust covered everything.

Dak stood in the center of the room and surveyed it all, a smile on his face. "What do you think?"

"I think it needs a good clean." James scuffed his foot over the dirty floor and grimaced. "You can't have people down here when it's like this."

"I know that. But there's only that old dresser and those few bottles that'll need moving." Dak responded. James tried not to look at the drawers where they'd found Isaac's book. "The floor will need a clean, but the cobwebs can stay. It'll save me buying fake ones."

"If you say so." James stood next to him, trying to picture what Dak obviously saw. "What do you have planned for down here?"

"Well…" Dak began to explain with animated hand gestures.

James had to admit, it did sound kind of awesome. _If_ they could make it work, which he had his doubts about. "What about the rest of the house?"

"We can decorate the downstairs rooms and the stairs. It'll be great."

James scratched his head, hoping it was just an itch and not something falling on him. "That's not quite what I meant."

"Oh, you mean finishing up what we started?"

"Yep." They'd stripped the hallway in the first week, but hadn't got around to painting it yet. Same for the stairs. "If we're going to have everyone over, then it'd be nice to have it finished. I should be able to do most of it before then."

Dak nodded. "Yeah, okay. I'll help when I get back from work."

"Sorted, then."

Dak wandered over to the other side of the room, peering at the floor.

James watched, curious. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking."

"For what, exactly?"

Dak stopped and leaned down to look at something, before huffing and straightening up.

James walked over to see what he was looking at. "You're not searching for evidence of where they banished Alexander, are you? I'm telling you, that flooring is long gone."

One more step put him level with Dak.

"I know. But imagine if it wasn't gone, after all. Imagine if it was right here where we're standing. How awesome would that be?"

James shook his head incredulously. "I think 'awesome' would be the last word I'd use to describe it. 'Scary,' 'disturbing,' and 'creepy as fuck' spring to mind."

Dak rolled his eyes. "No sense of adventure."

XxX

"Hey." James smiled when Kendall answered the door. "How was your day?"

"Ugh, don't ask." He greeted James with a smile and a kiss, his hands sliding around James' back and staying there. "Better now that you're here, though." One more kiss, and then Kendall tugged him inside and shut the door behind them. "Kelly keeps pestering me to introduce the two of you, and Katie backed her up."

James kicked off his shoes and set his bag on the floor beside them. "I'd like to meet her."

According to Kendall, she knew a lot about the whole Isaac-Alexander story. He wouldn't mind hearing a little more about it from her.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

James followed him down the hallway, eyebrows arching when Kendall stopped in front of his bedroom.

"You hungry?" Kendall asked.

"Yeah, I haven't eaten since lunch, so-"

Kendall backed him up against the wall, hands braced to either side of James' head. "Let me rephrase. Katie is over at Kelly's for dinner. We have the place to ourselves for the next couple of hours."

James licked his lips just to watch Kendall's eyes track the movement. "Nope. Not hungry at all."

"That's what I thought."

The last three weeks had been better that James imagined. Had they sat down and talked about everything? No. The events up to that point had kind of been swept under the rug, but James was okay with that. If he took a step back and tried to look at things from Kendall's point of view, then maybe he would have done the same in his position. Kendall told the truth in the end, and James believed him when he said he'd never lied about their relationship.

If James thought back to those first few times together, he knew all of it had been for real, and that was enough. Kendall was different, special, and James didn't want to let him go. Couldn't.

Taking James' hand, Kendall steered him through the door and into the bedroom. "Are you staying the night?"

"Yeah, my stuff's by the door."

"Good."

Kendall kissed him again, and James closed his eyes, sinking into it. He could never get enough of this, of Kendall's hands and mouth on him, undressing him slowly as they backed towards the bed. With his T-shirt gone, tossed onto the floor somewhere, Kendall reached up to cup his face. His cast bumped James on the jaw.

James laughed. "Hey, be careful with that thing."

"Sorry. I still forget about it." Slower this time, he touched James' cheek with just the fingertips on that hand. "I can't wait to get the thing off."

James reached for the button on Kendall's jeans, undoing it and sliding the zip down to get his hands inside. "How much longer?" Kendall was hard under his palm, and James rubbed over his clothed erection, smiling at the soft noises he made.

"Another two and a half weeks."

"Not too long, then." He pushed Kendall's jeans and underwear all the way down and helped him out of his T-shirt so he stood gloriously naked in front of him.

"Long enough." Kendall eyes darkened as he swept down James' body. "Can't wait till I can use both hands on you and fuck you the way I want to."

"Oh?" James raised an eyebrow, stepped back, and slowly took his jeans off. "You don't like the way we do it now?" His cock pressed up against the material of his boxer briefs, and Kendall reached out to stroke a finger up the length of him.

"You know I do." He thumbed the bulge before reaching to tug the briefs down James' thighs. "But there are other things I want to do to you, _with_ you, that I can't manage with this thing getting in the way." He held up his wrist as if James might have forgotten. "I want to try it all."

James swallowed. "Something to look forward to."

"Mm-hmm."

Obviously deciding that was enough chit-chat, Kendall pushed him to sit on the bed and climbed into his lap. His mouth found James', and for a while nothing mattered except the tease of Kendall's tongue, the press of his lips, and his long fingers wrapped around both of them.

With his arms full of warm skin and firm muscle, James forgot all about the house, about schoolwork, about everything but them. Together.

He tipped his head to the side as Kendall trailed kisses along his jaw and just below his ear.

"What do you want?" Kendall whispered.

Warm breath tickled the shell of James' ear and he shivered. He took a moment to picture all the ways they could do this. James liked a good blow job just as much as anything else, and if they were both exhausted, a lazy handjob while cuddled up was the best thing ever.

Tonight he wanted to feel Kendall inside him. Ever since he and Dak had gone into the cellar again, James had felt a little off, and having Kendall fuck him was a sure-fire way to make him forget. Pulling back enough to see Kendall's face, he grinned. "Lie down on your back."

Kendall gave James another kiss, deep and full of intent, leaving him breathless. Then he crawled off his lap and stretched out on the bed.

James stood to retrieve lube and a condom from Kendall's drawer, well aware of Kendall's eyes on him the whole time. Getting him to lie on his back could mean many things, but Kendall didn't ask, seemingly content to wait and see where James went with it.

As soon as James got back on the bed and straddled Kendall's thighs, understanding dawned, followed by Kendall's slow, dirty smile.

James passed him the condom but kept hold of the lube. "This okay?"

Kendall nodded. "Yeah." Using his good hand, he stroked his dick a couple of times, capturing James' attention. "Blow jobs next time, though."

He was almost tempted to suck him now, but the promise of Kendall's cock pushing inside him had him slicking his fingers and lifting up.

While Kendall had his cast on, it was easier for James to prep himself. It also allowed him to do just enough to ease the way but still feel the burn. His gaze never left Kendall's as he fingered himself. Being watched like this got him so turned on.

Kendall still had one hand on his dick, with the condom packet lying on his stomach.

James stared at it pointedly. "What are you waiting for?" He pulled his fingers out and met Kendall's gaze again. "Get the thing on and fuck me."

Kendall had it open and sliding down his cock in record time, and James laughed as he positioned himself above him. "That's more like it."

They both groaned as Kendall slid all the way in, stealing James' breath. This was what he wanted, what he needed to chase everything else away. His focus narrowed to the press of Kendall's fingers biting into his hips as James rode him. They were silent now, no talking, just the sounds of skin against skin and the catch of James' breath each time Kendall bottomed out.

"Come here." With his good hand on the back of James' neck, Kendall drew him down into a kiss. Messy and wet and perfect.

They stayed like that, breathing each other in as James took them both to the edge.

As close as he was to coming, James needed that little extra to get him there. "Touch me." Kendall worked his hand between them, wasting no time in grabbing James' dick. "Fuck."

Pleasure coiled at the base of his spine, pulled through him by Kendall's firm grip, and all too soon he was clenching down hard and spilling over Kendall's stomach.

The nudge of Kendall's cock against his prostate made him moan, still riding the high of coming, and reminded him that Kendall was hard inside him. He gave an experimental lift of his hips. Sometimes he liked to carry on, sometimes not.

"Don't need much." Kendall hissed. Maybe sensing James' reluctance to carry on like that. "Use your hand." He added.

James eased up and half collapsed next to him, then pulled the condom off and tossed it in the vague direction of the trashcan. Kendall turned his head, asking for a kiss, and James happily obliged as he wrapped a hand around Kendall's dick at the same time.

No more than a few seconds later, he came with a choked-off moan, eyes scrunched shut and his whole body tensing. James watched, fascinated, as the ropes of white added to the mess on Kendall's stomach.

Propping himself up on an elbow, he waited for Kendall to recover and look at him again. His stomach grumbled, and Kendall grinned before opening one eye and squinting up at him. "Now I feel guilty for dragging you in here."

James grinned back. "You should. I obviously hated every minute."

Laughing softly, Kendall reached out and linked their fingers together. "Give me five minutes, then I'll order something." He met James' gaze, and James' chest tightened. Thank God he'd taken a chance on this. On them.

XxX

Three hours later, after Chinese takeout and a very brief conversation with Katie, they were back in bed.

James wrapped his arm around Kendall's shoulders and pulled him close, with Kendall resting his head on James' chest. "Are you sure you and Katie will be okay coming to the party?"

Kendall pinched his side, making him flinch. "For the last time, yes. Katie has her mark, and I have mine plus all of these." He waved a hand at his shoulder where the rest of his tattoos covered his skin.

James traced his fingers over the patterns, marveling at their intricate designs. "And Dak should be fine too, right?"

"Yes." Kendall said, shifting to look up at him. "You said it yourself, nothing weird has happened in a while. I think we're all covered."

"It's just that it's Halloween, in that house, and-"

Kendall put his finger to James' lips, shushing him. "Halloween has come and gone a lot of times since 1827. I think it's safe to assume the mark works."

James still wasn't convinced. Now that the party was definitely going ahead, he'd started to have second thoughts. "Maybe we should cancel and just go out somewhere instead."

"I think Dak would be devastated if you suggested that."

"True." James sighed. "But-"

"If it makes you feel better, I can have another look through my mom's stuff, see if I can find any more protection spells or rune drawings. Maybe I could put them in the cellar or on the door?"

"That'd be great, thanks."

Kendall yawned. "I can't promise I'll find anything, but I'll look. I'll ask Kelly too. You can't cancel. I'm looking forward to meeting your friends."

Speaking of friends, Kendall never mentioned any of his. "Do you want to invite any of yours?"

"No, I don't really… I sort of lost touch with everyone when they went off to college and I stayed here." He sighed and settled back down on James' chest. "I mean, I have a few here who I go out with every once in a while, but we're not really all that close. So no, just Katie."

"Okay."

Kendall yawned again. James ran a hand up and down his back, tracing his tattoos as he went. Slowly his breathing evened out.

James stopped his motion and gave him a gentle nudge. "Ken?"

Nothing.

James smiled and closed his eyes. _So much for round two._

* * *

 **Done! So it looks like Kames are back on good terms! We had a bit of a time jump this chapter, with it being that much closer to Halloween. And it seems that weird things have stopped happening in the house!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **The next chapter is coming this weekend, so there is more coming soon!**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**A/N: Hello again everyone! New chapter alert!**

 **Before we get started, I would like thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Guest, Side1ways, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _Saturday, October 22, 2018_

Kendall woke with a start, the dream still relatively fresh in his mind. The same dream he'd had on and off for the past week. He'd started to keep a dream diary again, so he grabbed the pen and pad from the bedside table and hurried to write down what he remembered before the images slipped away.

 _Cellar, party, mirror._

 _Arguing with James, going home alone._

A quick glance at the previous pages confirmed what he already knew. He'd written virtually the same thing for those dreams too. Each time, he awoke with an impending sense of dread that took a good few minutes to fade. As far as he knew, nothing had happened at the house. No cold spots, Sam hadn't hissed at anything, nothing new had suddenly appeared. So why was he having recurring dreams?

Surely his talent hadn't resurfaced to inform him that his relationship with James was doomed? Things were going great between them. What would they argue about?

He shook off the bad feeling left behind from the dream and reached for his phone. The waiting text message from James helped soothe his nerves a bit.

 _Morning, lazy ass. What time are you coming over? :P -J_

He'd sent it at seven thirty. Clearly being off work didn't mean sleeping in. Kendall lay back on his pillow and called him instead, he couldn't be bothered to type out a text.

James answered on the first ring, sounding way too chipper. "Hey, you're up earlier than I expected."

"Yeah. Thought I'd have a look through the rest of my mom's things in the apartment, then come over after lunch."

"Okay."

The sound of the shower turning on produced all sorts of mental images. "Are you talking to me naked?"

James laughed. "No, I just got back from a run. Thought I'd check in with you first, before I hop in the shower."

"That's a shame."

More laughter. "You still okay to give me a hand in the cellar later?"

"Yep." Kendall had jumped at the chance when James told him what he had planned for the weekend.

"I bet you wouldn't be so enthusiastic if I asked you to help paint the hallway."

Kendall smiled into the phone. "That's because I'm useless with a paintbrush. Katie does all the decorating."

"Mm-hmm."

"It's true."

A door closed on James' end. "If you say so. I'm going to jump in the shower now. But I'll see you later."

"Yeah, okay."

Kendall hung up and set his phone down. He debated getting off to thoughts of James naked and wet in the shower, but then he heard Katie banging around in the kitchen, and that decided for him.

When he wandered into the kitchen, she was busy making scrambled eggs and toast. He walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder. "That looks good."

"I was just about to call you." She nodded at the toaster, where four pieces of toast had popped up. "Get two plates and butter those, would you?"

Kendall did as he was told, then added cream and sugar to the coffees she'd had out. "Thanks for this."

"No problem." She loaded both of their plates with scrambled eggs and sat down across from him. "Are you going to James' later?"

"Yeah, I'm going to help him get the cellar ready for next Saturday."

She took a drink of her coffee. "I bet you've been dying to get a look down there."

"I have. I thought he'd never suggest it, but now that the weird stuff seems to have stopped, the party's back on."

Katie grinned. "I'm really looking forward to it. It's still strange to think of it as someone else's house, but I haven't been to a Halloween party in forever. What are you going as?"

Kendall stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth and stared at her.

She laughed at what must be a look of shock on his face. "Oh my god, Kendall. You _have_ to dress up. It's Halloween!"

"James never mentioned costumes."

"He probably thought he didn't have to." She shook her head and went back to eating her breakfast, then added, "You better pull something together quick."

 _Awesome. What the hell am I going to wear?_

Katie left him to clear up breakfast and went downstairs to join Kelly in the bookshop. He sent a quick text to James as he loaded the dishwasher.

 _Are you dressing up on Saturday? -K_

 _Of course. -J_

 _As what? -K_

 _Wait and see._ Quickly followed by _What about you? What are you gonna be?_

Kendall bit his lip, wondering whether to just tell him he didn't have a costume.

 _It's a surprise. -K_

James saw right through him.

 _You don't have one, do you? -J_

 _No. -K_

Maybe he could get away with not bothering. James probably didn't give a shit whether he dressed up or not.

Or maybe he did.

 _Well, you have a week to figure something out, best get looking. :P -J_

For fuck's sake, now what?

Putting that decision off for now, Kendall showered, dressed, and then climbed up into the apartment to look through his mom's stuff. He hadn't bothered going through the boxes anymore since James found Isaac's diary, and the boxes were still where he'd left them.

After moving the ones he and Katie had already checked to one side, he crouched down and started to go through everything, one paper at a time.

XxX

"Did you find anything?" James asked as he let Kendall in.

"Not really, but there's still some more stuff to go through." He didn't add that he'd found some more old family photos and spent a good hour or so going through them. His mom and dad had looked so happy in the early days.

"Okay. Well, Dak slipped out to buy some more paint, so we might as well get started." He motioned for Kendall to follow him, glancing back over his shoulder. "I have strict instructions to leave all the cobwebs and 'enough dust that it looks old but not dirty.' Those are Dak's words, not mine."

Kendall frowned. "What does that even mean?"

"I have no idea." He led Kendall through to the back room and the cellar door. "We can have a look when we get down there."

Cleaning supplies sat in a pile outside the cellar door. A broom, towels, trash bags, a dustpan, a bucket, and a bottle of cleaning liquid standing inside it. Sam lay curled up asleep on top of the trash bags.

Kendall leaned down to pick him up and cuddled him to his chest. Immediately, Sam woke up and started to purr, rubbing his head against Kendall's chin like he was catnip.

"Typical." James grumbled, staring at the two of them. "He doesn't fuss me like that, and I feed the little monster."

Kendall stroked Sam and tickled under his chin. "He's just got good taste, that's all."

"Just for that, you can go first." He flicked the light switch on and opened the cellar door with a flourish.

Laughing, Kendall settled Sam on one of the chairs, then picked up the broom and the trash bags, secretly delighted to be going down first.

The steps were narrow but not that worn. Kendall still took care to look where he was putting his feet. A tumble down there wouldn't be good, especially with his wrist already in a cast. The cellar opened up into a fairly big room, about half the size of the downstairs area.

His gaze landed on the old dresser, and he turned to James coming down the stairs behind him. "Is that where you found Isaac's diary?"

"Yeah."

"Was there anything else in there?"

James shook his head, and gestured to it with the dustpan and broom in his hand. "Have a look if you want."

Kendall didn't need to be told twice. Setting everything on the ground, he then walked over and ran his fingers across the top of the dresser. His finger came away thick with dust, but nothing else. No tingling of residual magic or cold shivers. Nothing.

 _I shouldn't be disappointed. I should be glad._

When he opened the drawers, they were all empty, just like James had said. "Are you keeping this down here for the party?"

His dream flashed through his mind as he glanced around the room. _Cellar, party, mirror._

The dresser looked as though it should have had a mirror on it. There were marks in the dust that indicated something had been removed. Kendall couldn't see one anywhere, though. "Was there a mirror in here?" He pointed to the dresser top and looked back at James.

"No." James eyed it as though trying to picture the mirror in position.

 _Why the fuck did I even mention it?_

The last thing he wanted was to give James ideas. He tried not to let anything show on his face. It was just a dream. It didn't mean anything.

He picked up the broom and leaned on the end of it. "So… where do we start?"

XxX

Kendall was exhausted by the time they crawled into bed that night. His back ached, his arms ached, and mutual handjobs in the shower had about finished him off.

The cellar had turned out pretty well, despite its lack of anything magical. They'd managed to clean it up enough so people wouldn't mind going down there, but when they added pumpkins, lights, and a few gruesome looking gadgets Dak had bought, it was going to look creepy and awesome. And despite the pain of having to find something to wear, Kendall was looking forward to it.

James fell asleep first, on his side with his hand splayed across Kendall's stomach. The hours he spent lying like this, relaxed and easy with James next to him, were some of Kendall's favorite moments. He traced his fingers over James' hand, back and forth, before twining their fingers. Maybe the dream wouldn't come tonight.

XxX

 _James stalked towards him, his face like thunder and an angry curl to his lips. "How fucking_ dare _you!"_

 _He grabbed Kendall by the collar of his T-shirt, hauling him towards the cellar steps. "Get the hell out of my house."_

Kendall came to with a gasp, his hand automatically going to his neck where James had hold of him.

 _Shit, it was just a dream._

It had all been so real. He could recall the look on James' face all too easily. Kendall had never seen him so mad.

 _What the hell did I do to make him act like that?_

In the dream, the cellar had been decorated for Halloween. There was no mistaking it for anything other than the party next Saturday. He'd have to get out of it. No way did he ever want James looking at him like that.

He glanced over to see if he'd woken him up, but James lay there fast asleep, a smile curving his lips. His dreams looked a lot more pleasant.

It took Kendall a while, but eventually he fell back to sleep.

Next time, instead of a nightmare, James' mouth on his cock woke him. The gasp that escaped him one of pleasure.

XxX

When they finally made it downstairs to get breakfast, Dak sat at the kitchen table. He glanced at the clock, then at the pair of them, and smirked. "Morning. I thought I heard you get up a little while ago."

James walked past and slapped him on the back of the head. "Haha. Very funny." He muttered as he started a pot of coffee and turned back to Kendall. "Have a seat. I'll get us something to eat. Are you having coffee, too?"

"Yes, please." Kendall took a seat opposite Dak and hoped he wasn't blushing.

 _Was I loud?_

"Got your costume all picked out and ready for Saturday? You can't come if you're not dressed up." Dak said.

 _Can it be that easy?_ "No, actually. I waited too long. Not sure I can turn up in just my jeans. Maybe I should-" To his surprise, both James and Dak grinned, with James laughed at him as well. "What?"

"I knew you didn't have one. Katie was right."

 _Katie?_ "What does my sister have to do with anything?"

James' grin got wider. "She called me yesterday and said you'd try and get out of it because you hate dressing up."

Kendall was going to kill her. _Fuck_ , he should have told her about his dreams. That would have stopped her interfering. "And what did she have to say?"

"She said that I shouldn't listen to anything you say regarding the party. And then she asked what my costume was going to be. I told her, and she said she'd take care of the rest." James folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the worktop. "Apparently we're going to matching."

"As what?"

"It's a surprise."

Despite Kendall's best efforts at begging and then threats of tickling, James steadfastly refused to spill details of their costumes. Not that it mattered much. If his dream came true, an embarrassing costume would be the least of his worries.

"So," He said, wanting to get off the topic of the party. "What are you two up to today?"

Dak yawned and stretched his hands over his head. "I'm going to get started on painting the hallway."

James glanced up from where he was buttering toast."I thought I was doing that next week?"

"I didn't want to leave it all to you. I thought if we get the downstairs done today, that just leaves the stairs. And we could maybe do the upstairs hall too, if there's time." Dak stood and took his plate over to the sink. "I'm going to go and get started on that now. See you later, Ken." He patted Kendall on the shoulder as he passed him.

"What about you?" James said as he set a mug of coffee and a plate of toast in front of him. "What are your plans? I take it you don't want to hang around and watch us paint."

Kendall laughed. "No thanks. I've got some work to do around the apartment, anyway."

"You're not working in the shop today?"

"Nope. Katie offered to do it today if I do it next Saturday."

"Who's working the Sunday shift next week?" James hooked his feet around Kendall's under the table. "I was hoping you'd stay over after the party."

For a split second, he was looking at the James from his dream, all snarls and nastiness. One blink and James was himself again. "Kelly offered. So I can definitely stay."

"Great."

Kendall managed a smile that hopefully didn't seem forced.

* * *

 _Saturday, October 29, 2018_

 _Alexander reached up and stroked his cheek before leaning in to kiss him._

" _Wait." He put his fingers against Alexander's lips, stopping him. "Someone might see."_

" _Isaac is out in the fields, my father has gone into the village, and everyone else is in the house. No one will see."_

 _Alexander leaned in again, smiling when he was met with no resistance. They kissed, softly and lazily, as though they had all the time in the world, instead of a few stolen moments. He felt the hard press of Alexander against his hip, and pulled him closer, hands fisted in his linen shirt, needing more._

James woke with his morning wood straining against his boxers and his dream lingering in his mind. Reaching down to stroke himself, it took him a few moments to fully wake up. Then he snatched his hand away. He had no idea what Alexander Knight looked like, but he was pretty sure that had been him in his dream. And it had seemed so _real_. Like a memory instead of a dream.

His body remembered the feel of him pressed up against him, the touch of his lips, the taste- _Christ_ , he needed to stop, or he'd be getting off to thoughts of a dead guy-a dead _murdered_ guy-when he had a perfectly hot boyfriend to fantasize about.

His cock didn't appear to care either way, still hard and aching in his boxers. Pushing the slight guilty feeling aside, James slid his hand into his boxers and closed his eyes as something suddenly came over him. The images all came rushing back. Green eyes full of love and heat, high cheekbones, and full lips parted and wet.

James moaned, remembering the way they fit together in his dream. Alexander's toned muscles and hard planes pressed against him, and his hips grinding in a slow, sensual rhythm.

James came in his hand, the other shoved into his mouth to stifle his moans. The last picture in his head was that of a smiling, satisfied Alexander looking back at him.

 _Fucking hell._ He'd never had a wank that intense before. Lying in bed to catch his breath seemed like the best plan for the next few minutes, and James struggled to shake off the feeling that he'd just done something wrong.

Dak knocked on his door a couple of minutes later, startling him. "Hey, are you up?"

"Yeah." His voice was scratchy and hoarse. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Yes, I'm awake. I'll be down in a few."

"Okay, I'll start a pot of coffee."

After getting up, cleaning up and getting dressed, James went downstairs, almost back to normal.

"Thanks." He took the offered cup from Dak. The coffee cleared his head a little and he sighed, relaxing back in his seat, then laughed when Dak plonked four large pumpkins on the table, all of them marked with a black marker. A cat, two evil, grinning faces, and a huge spider. "They're not going to look like that if I cut them out. You know that, right?"

Dak scoffed. "Like I'd let you loose on them. I'm just showing you to see what you think."

"Oh, in that case, they're great."

"Good." With that, Dak cut the tops off and started to scoop out the insides. "I've got four more to do after this bunch."

James sipped his coffee and watched. "What's left to do in the cellar?"

"Not much, I don't think." Dak grimaced as some of the pumpkin innards fell onto the floor.

They'd already decorated a lot of the cellar. More cobwebs, spider-shaped fairy lights, and candles. They had a few boxes lined up against the wall, with various fake severed body parts hanging out, courtesy of Dak and his internet purchases. After Kendall had mentioned the missing mirror on the dresser, James had decided that was a great idea. Mirrors were always in horror films.

Although he hadn't been able to find one to go on top of it, his mom had come up with an old free-standing one at the last minute. They'd splashed it with fake blood and placed it on the far side of the room. The dresser was half-covered in a white sheet, also splattered with blood, and a fake bloody butcher's knife on the top.

Dak had insisted it needed a little something extra and dragged one of the kitchen chairs down and stuck a skeleton on it, positioning its hand so it appeared to be holding the knife. They'd stuck little battery tea lights behind some of the thickest cobwebs that would hopefully give an eerie glow but not set on fire.

The upstairs was all fake cobwebs, fairy lights, and streamers, orange and black everywhere. They'd bought the required snacks shaped like body parts. James had even made a batch of cocktails and labelled them 'Witch's Brew.' Despite his earlier misgivings about hosting a party, now that it was here, he couldn't wait. Their friends were going to love it.

James made himself some toast and sat watching Dak carve shapes into the pumpkins. After eating, he said, "I guess I'll go and clean the bathroom, then."

It was his least favorite job ever, but someone had to do it.

Dak grinned but didn't look away from what he was doing. "Sounds good to me."

Leaving him to his pumpkins, James rolled his eyes before grabbing what he needed from under the sink and heading upstairs.

XxX

"I still say you should have gone with the werewolf costume." Dak said as he leaned against the bathroom doorframe, watching James do his hair.

"I _am_ a werewolf. Just in his human form."

Dak snorted. "It's cheating."

"It's practical." He gestured at the black boots, black jeans, and black T-shirt of his costume. "I'd roast in a furry werewolf costume. This way I just _look_ hot."

Dak groaned and shook his head, making James grin. In his opinion, it was the perfect costume for him. There was hardly any effort required. Already having green-ish eyes and brown hair, he'd just had to go a few days without shaving, and then he had the stubble too.

"I can't wait to see Kendall as Stiles Stilinski. Does he even watch Teen Wolf?"

James met Dak's gaze in the mirror and shrugged. "Katie does, so I assume he must at least know what it is. Besides, I bet he's just relieved he's not wearing Lycra." He shot a pointed look at Dak.

"Hey, fuck off. I look great." Dak smoothed his hands down the tight-fitting blue bottoms of his Captain America costume.

"Uh-huh. You realize everyone's going to be feeling your ass all night, right? Even _I'm_ tempted to give it a squeeze."

"Yep." Dak reached back and smacked an ass cheek, then grinned. "Oh, by the way, I've put Sam in my bedroom but left the door slightly open. Just keep an eye out later in case he wanders down. I don't want him to get scared or squished."

"Okay."

The doorbell rang then, signaling the first arrivals, and Dak disappeared to go answer it. James took on last look in the mirror. He smiled before donning his leather jacket and scooping up his red contacts for later. Tonight was going to be great.

Dak was laughing downstairs, probably at whoever had just arrived. "Jay, Kendall's here."

James jogged down the stairs and came to an abrupt stop when he saw him.

Kendall wore nerdy teenager really fucking well.

Dressed in jeans, Converse, and a red hoodie over what looked like a black Beacon Hills lacrosse T-shirt, Kendall stood there scowling. He even had his hair spiked up a little on top.

Katie pointed at the T-shirt. "I know it should be burgundy, but that wouldn't go with the red, so I had to cheat a little." She shrugged as though it was an acceptable compromise. "Good old eBay."

Kendall sighed. "I look ridiculous."

James shook his head and walked towards him, noting with smug satisfaction the way Kendall's gaze swept over him. "You look hot as fuck." James said as he pulled him close by the strings on his hoodie, and kissed him.

"At least let me get past before you start that!" Katie said from beside them.

James begrudgingly let Kendall go and stepped to one side before he took in Katie's outfit. He whistled at her. "Nice costume. Selene from Underworld?"

Katie wore a black leather catsuit, with knee-length black boots and a long black coat.

Katie grinned and nodded, then turned to Kendall with a look triumph. "See?"

Kendall rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'm sorry. You were right."

"About what?" James glanced between the two of them.

"He said no one would know who I was supposed to be."

She handed James a bag full of booze. "This is for you."

"Thanks, I'll put it in the kitchen." He turned to go and then glanced back at them. "Come on. I'll get you two a drink."

XxX

Several hours later the party was in full swing, the house filled with music and laughter. James wandered from room to room, trying to find where Kendall had run off to. When he walked into the sunroom, Camille, one of his college friends, grabbed his arm.

"Can I shut that window, James? It's a bit chilly in here."

He froze, dread curling at the bottom of his spine. _Not tonight._ But then she tugged on his arm and pointed at the small window which sat wide open, letting in the cool night air.

His breath left him in a whoosh as he relaxed. "Yeah, sure."

She kissed him on the cheek and whispered, "Great party." Then she walked over to the window and closed it.

James shook his head and laughed at himself.

Kendall hadn't managed to find anything in his mother's things, but Katie, Dak, and Kendall all wore marks of protection. Everything was fine.

Dak came up the cellar steps, looking slightly worse for wear, but with a big grin. He stumbled into James' side, grabbing onto him for support. "Best party ever!"

"Hey." James grabbed him as he started to wander away. "Have you seen Kendall anywhere?"

Dak laughed. "You mean Stiles? He's down there"-He pointed behind him at the entrance of the cellar. "Trying to explain to Jett and Dustin who he's supposed to be." Jett had been Dak's roommate in college, and he loved winding people up. Dak's grin got bigger. "You better go and save him."

"Yeah, okay." He let Dak go and watched him weave his way out of the room. His hangover was going to be horrendous in the morning.

Navigating his way down the cellar steps proved harder than he'd expected. People stood chatting and most of them stopped him on his way down. When he eventually reached the bottom, he glanced around looking for Kendall. The rest of the cellar wasn't visible from there, opening up around the corner. But the mirror there was angled to show the rest of the room, and as James started forwards, his gaze landed on a familiar red hoodie in its reflection. _Kendall._

The smile froze on his face. He stood stock-still, fist clenched at his sides as he watched Kendall laugh, nod, and then pull Jett towards him into a kiss. Not just a peck or a joking one either, it was all tongues and desperation, like they were seconds away from dragging each other into the corner and fucking.

James felt the chill creep through his body as his mood suddenly swung from happy to really fucking pissed off. His feet moved of their own accord, as though someone else was in charge, and he rounded the corner to find Kendall smiling at him as though nothing had happened.

"Hey. I was just-"

"How fucking dare you!" James spat the words as he closed the rest of distance, vaguely aware of the sudden halt in conversation around them. He grabbed Kendall by the collar of his stupid T-shirt and hauled him back towards the cellar steps. "Get the hell out of my house."

* * *

 **Done! So...yeah, _things_ are happening. **

**I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **Next chapter pretty much picks up right where this one left off, and will be up either tomorrow or Monday! So there won't be too long of a wait for it! :)**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm back with another new chapter!**

 **Before we get into that, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Guest, Side1ways, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **So, I have a feeling there will be some "I knew it!" and "I told you!" going on with this chapter. From two people in particular. :P**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

" _Get the hell out of my house."_

Kendall stared back in shock. His drink fell from his hand as James dragged him across the room. _Just like in my dream. I should have left as soon as I spotted that fucking mirror._

But what had he done to elicit that reaction. "Hey!" He clawed at James' hands to get them off him. "What the fuck is your problem?"

James dropped him like a hot potato and got right in his face. "My 'fucking problem,' Kendall, is you tongue-fucking someone else at my fucking party!"

Kendall stared at him wide-eyed. He'd never heard his own name said with such disdain before, never heard James swear so much in one sentence. It sounded wrong coming out of his mouth. In fact, the more Kendall looked at James, the more everything about him screamed _wrongness._ There was something going on. "James, I wasn't kissing anyone, I swear. We were just talking." He tried to put his hand on James' arm, but James quickly slapped it away.

"Don't touch me."

By this time, everyone in the room was staring, and Jett and Dustin had come to join them.

Jett spoke first. "James, calm down. We were just talking."

James rounded on him and shoved him with both hands on his chest. "I saw you in the fucking mirror!"

The mirror? Kendall looked at it over his shoulder, the reflection showing where they'd just stood.

Jett shook his head, confused. "That's impossible. We were literally just talking."

James sneered and went to shove him again, but Dustin grabbed his arm. "Hey, that's enough. I was right there, James. They weren't doing anything."

"You fucking liars! How can you stand there and lie right to my fucking face? Get out!" James roared the last two words, and for a second, Kendall thought he was going to punch one of them. Instead he jabbed his finger at each of them in turn. "All of you."

Dak ran down the steps, stopping on the last one to stare at the four of them. "What the hell's going on?" He seemed a lot more sober than when Kendall saw him last. "Jay? Ken?"

James turned to Dak. "These three were just leaving."

"What? Why?" Dak walked over and stopped beside Kendall. "Kendall?"

"James thinks he saw me kissing Jett."

"Which is fucking ridiculous." Jett cut in, getting angrier by the second.

"Fucking liars." James hissed. "Look, Dak, I don't care if they're your friends. Just get them out of here." He glanced at Kendall and narrowed his eyes. "Him too."

With one last look of disgust, James turned and stalked away, barging his way up the cellar steps.

"Shit." Dak breathed out, running a hand through his hair. "What the fuck was that?"

Kendall knew. The sinking feeling in his stomach threatened to overwhelm him as he stood there. What had they missed? Whatever James saw in that mirror hadn't been real. Maybe this was why his mom always used to take him and Katie away near Halloween? Like that mirror, Alexander could influence things around the house, just not the people in it.

But James… and the way he was acting… "I've never seen him like that."

"Me either." Dak said, looking at Kendall, then Jett. "And you two definitely weren't-"

"Fuck off. I wouldn't do that." The fact that Dak even considered it stung. He wanted to explain, to tell Dak it was Alexander messing with them somehow, but too many people were listening. Thankfully, mostly everyone had gone back to talking amongst themselves, but Kendall caught the glances thrown his way, making him think they were listening carefully while trying to pretend they weren't, and Jett and Dustin were still standing with them.

Jett pat Dak on the shoulder. "We were just talking, Dak." He sighed and glanced at Dustin, who nodded. "I think we're going to go. I like James, but if he speaks to me like that again, I might be tempted to punch him."

Dak looked torn. "I'll go and talk to him."

Jett shook his head. "No, it's fine." He squeezed Dak's shoulder. "See you later."

Kendall watched them walk up the cellar steps. For everyone's sakes, he hoped they didn't run into James again. "I'm going to grab Katie and take her home."

For a moment, he thought Dak was just going to let him go, but then he suddenly pulled Kendall into a hug. They stayed like that for a minute before Dak whispered, "What's going on? Is it ghost shit?"

"I think so."

"Fuck." Dak stepped back, his hand going to his hair again. "Are we in danger?"

"I don't think so?" He wanted to sound more convincing, but he just didn't know. "I don't think he can cause bodily harm." He winced as he saw the alarmed look on Dak's face. "Nothing like that happened before you got your tattoo fixed, so I'm sure he can't." He pointed behind himself at the mirror. "But I'd definitely cover that thing up."

Right away, Dak grabbed the sheet off the dresser and slung it over the mirror. "There."

"Good. At least that's one less thing to worry about." He lowered his voice. "I'm pretty sure it's only me and James he's messing with. Maybe he didn't appreciate me telling you to get your mark fixed. Who knows. But after tonight, maybe you could go somewhere else until after Halloween?"

Dak sighed. "At this point, I'm thinking of selling the fucking place."

Kendall hoped he didn't mean it. Did the stipulations in the will still apply now that his dad had sold it? He had no idea, but the thought of some unsuspecting soul buying the house didn't sit well with him. Not that James and Dak had known what they were getting themselves into at first, but they did now.

"I'll keep looking. There must be something we can do to ward the whole house or something like that."

He couldn't see Isaac Knight not protecting his house after going to such great lengths to protect his family. The old farmhouse might have been knocked down, but there must be a record of the protection spells somewhere. There had to be.

Dak nodded. "You do that. I'll talk to James when he's calmed down. See if I can get him to come to his senses." He said, giving Kendall a sympathetic smile.

"Tell him I'll call him tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be ready to listen to me then." He smiled, albeit strained. "Night."

"Night, Ken."

Finding Katie was easy enough, thank God. She was chatting with some people in the kitchen. One look from Kendall had her making excuses and following him outside.

She stopped him just outside the gate. "What happened?"

He sighed. "Come on, I'll explain as we walk."

She listened as he told her everything, waiting until he'd finished to comment. "I take it you weren't kissing anyone?"

"Katie!"

"Sorry! I was just checking." She raised her hands up in front of her. "I didn't think you would."

"No. I wasn't kissing anyone."

They walked in silence for a bit, which suited Kendall fine. He was still reeling from what had happened. What if James never believed him? What if this was it for them? James seemed to accept everything to do with Alexander and Isaac, but would he accept this too? Fuck, so many questions ran through his mind, and he had answers for none of them.

"Hey." Katie nudged him and scooted closer until he wrapped his arm around her. "It'll be okay."

"Will it?"

"Yes. James will wake up tomorrow, realize what a jerk he's been, and apologize. Let Dak talk to him first, then give him a call. After everything that's happened, I don't think it's a stretch for him to believe that what he saw wasn't real."

"I hope so." He gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head. "I really hope so."

"Are you serious about protecting the house?"

"Deadly." Even if James stayed pissed at him, they needed something to prevent Alexander from messing with things.

"In that case, I think we should stop by Kelly's tomorrow. We could take dinner over as a thank you for helping us, and then help her look through some of those boxes."

Kendall stopped and looked over at her. "I thought she'd been through them all?"

"Nope. I spoke to her yesterday, and she found a couple more tucked under an old carpet."

"Who keeps old carpet in their apartment?"

Katie arched an eyebrow. "Kelly, obviously. But that's not the point. She said it looked like a mix of Mom's and Grandad's stuff, but she hadn't had a chance to really go through it all."

"Oh. We should definitely go and help her with that, then. With all those witches in our family tree, someone must have written down spells."

"Yeah, you'd think so."

They came to the end of their road. Shrugging out from under his arm. "You okay now?"

"No. Not really." He wouldn't be okay until he could talk to James and get this whole thing sorted out. "I dreamt it, you know."

Katie stopped and turned to stare at him. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"I should have. I was hoping it was one of those that wouldn't mean anything. I didn't plan on doing anything to piss James off, so…" _God, I'm so stupid._ "I didn't think for one second that _that_ would happen. Besides, you know if it's going to happen, there's nothing I can do to change it. It'll just happen some other way." His mom told him that, after the one and only time he tried to change things.

"God." Katie groaned. "I wish Mom was here. She'd know what to do."

"Yeah." Kendall squeezed her fingers and opened their front door. "I'm going straight to bed. The sooner this night ends, the better."

"Okay. Night, big bro."

He smiled and whispered, "Night, little sis."

XxX

Kendall dreamt that night, but he woke to a jumble of images in his head instead of the clear-cut ones he was used to. Isaac, James, and Alexander were all featured, mixed together in something he couldn't make sense of. After the last few weeks, that was hardly surprising.

Was it too much to hope that James had already texted him? He reached for his phone to check, sighing in defeat at the blank screen.

Nothing. No texts, no missed calls. At nine forty-five, James was usually up and about. Maybe he had a hangover or something that had kept him in bed?

 _I'll give him another hour or so and then call him._

Dak might be up, though. Thank God Katie had insisted on swapping phone numbers. He texted Dak instead.

 _Did you talk to James last night? -K_

The response was immediate, which in this case turned out to be a bad thing.

 _Yes. He still thinks you kissed Jett. -D_

Shit. Kendall closed his eyes and banged his fist on the bed.

 _Should I call him? Would that help? -K_

 _I don't think so. He's still really pissed. -D_

The temptation to throw his phone across the room was almost too much to ignore. He'd done nothing wrong! It was so unfair. All these fucking protection tattoos, and yet that still happened? He fired off another message.

 _Fine. I won't call him, but I'll text. Are you going somewhere else over Halloween? -K_

 _Yeah, we're going to my dad's house later. I'll drag James out if I have to. -D_

 _Good. -K_

He pulled up James' number next and started to type. Short and to the point was probably best.

 _Hey, we need to talk about last night. -K_

Not expecting an immediate reply this time, he got up and headed into the kitchen for coffee and food.

XxX

Two hours later and still nothing. Kendall tried calling, fed up with waiting, but it went straight to voicemail. He tried again thirty minutes later, on the off chance James had been on the phone, but the same thing happened again.

And again.

He gave in and threw his phone onto the sofa. "That bastard!"

Katie came in from the kitchen, hands on hips. "I take it he's still ignoring you?"

"Yep." God, he didn't know whether to sit, stand, or pace. "I mean, I get that he's upset because of what he thought he saw. But he could at least let me explain. Ignoring me is fucking childish."

"Agreed, but give him a little time before you write him off. If he believes what he saw, then you can understand how he feels. He's upset. But more than that, he's probably hurt."

"But I told him it wasn't real. Jett, Dustin, _and_ Dak told him. Why the fuck doesn't he believe us instead?"

"I don't know." She bit her lip, looking as though she wanted to say something else.

"Spit it out."

"Are you absolutely sure James doesn't have any Knight blood in him? It would explain how he's behaving. Halloween is tomorrow, Ken. Alexander's power is almost as strong as it gets. If James has any of our blood in him, then Alexander would be able to influence him easily without the mark."

It made perfect sense apart from one thing. "I've seen his family tree, remember? No one on it looked familiar."

"Do you know everyone in ours?"

"No, but I know the older ones, and none of James' matched."

She threw her hands in the air. "Illegitimate child, maybe? Who knows what happened in the 1800s."

"If that's the case, then there could be people all over the place with Knight blood in them."

"Which is why we need to protect the house, not just us."

An idea he was totally on board with. "What time are we going over to Kelly's?"

"Oh, we're not."

His head snapped up to look at her. "What? Why?"

"She had to go out, but I told her what happened at the party, and she's going to drop the boxes off on her way."

"Oh." Well, that wasn't so bad. Leaving it until tomorrow would have killed him. "When?"

The doorbell chimed a second later.

Katie grinned. "I'd say about now."

Kendall followed her down the stairs, excitement brewing at the thought of what they might find. It took two trips, but they finally got them upstairs and in the living room.

He stood back and glanced at Katie. "They're bigger than I was expecting." The boxes were more like crates, and chock-full of stuff too. "It's going to take a while to go through them."

Katie shrugged. "Best get started, then."

Kendall took the box closest to him and lifted the lid. Christ, it was filled with loose papers, books and old photos. Normally he'd be thrilled to get the chance to go through this stuff, to take his time and examine each and every piece. These were his mom's things, his grandad's things, and he ran his hand along the edge of the box with a lump in his throat.

Katie came up to stand beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Come on, let's get started."

Somewhere amongst all of this stuff was the key to protecting the house. Protecting James.

XxX

At half past one in the morning, Kendall had had enough. Katie had long since fallen asleep in the chair, and as he stood and stretched, preparing to wake her up and move her, something caught his eye. The corner of what, on further inspection, appeared to be a painting. His heart sped up as he wondered if this could be the one of Isaac and his brother. It might not be what he'd been looking for, but still an exciting find.

Carefully, he lifted the loose papers off the top of it and eased it out.

"Oh my god." Kendall's jaw dropped as he stared at the painting, unable to look away. "Katie!" He set the painting on the floor, then reached over to grab her leg. "Katie, wake up!" He shook her until she opened her eyes and squinted at him.

"'M awake." She rubbed at her eyes and yawned, and it took all his willpower not to shout at her to wake up right the fuck now. "What'd you find?"

"This." He picked up the painting and handed it to her. And waited.

She smiled as she looked at it. "See, I told you you looked like Isaa- _Oh my god!_ " Her head snapped up, mouth hanging open in shock. "He's the spitting image of James."

"I know."

There were four people in the painting. One, older, was obviously John Knight, then three younger ones. If Kendall resembled Isaac Knight-and Alexander for that matter-, then Isaac was the one standing off to the side. The other two were close together, not touching, but something about the way they'd been depicted screamed _intimacy_. The one of the left looked so much like Isaac that it had to be Alexander, but that left…

He had a sinking feeling he knew exactly who it was. "Turn it over. See if their names were on the back."

Katie ran her finger over the back of the painting and read. "John Knight, Isaac Knight, Alexander Knight, and Liam Oxton. James isn't a Knight. He's an Oxton."

"But that doesn't make any sense. Alexander should have no influence over James if he's not related."

Katie's gaze focused on the painting again. "But he looks so much like Liam it's uncanny. That can't be a coincidence."

Kendall dropped his head into his hands. "Fuck."

"We need to get over there." She set the painting down and stood, wringing her hands. "At this point, I don't think it matters how Alexander's doing it. But we both know that wasn't James at that party. Alexander is somehow controlling him, and we need to stop it before tomorrow night. James can't stay in that house. Who knows what might happen." She noticed Kendall hadn't moved and glared at him. "Why are you still sitting there?"

Kendall checked his phone. "Because it's almost two in the morning, Katie. It'll have to wait."

"No, it won't! How can you sit there and-"

"They aren't at the house." Kendall sighed, the high of finding the painting had quickly faded into exhaustion.

Katie huffed in frustration. "Stop being so cryptic!"

"I told Dak to go elsewhere until after Halloween, just to be on the safe side. He told me this morning that they were going to his dad's."

"Both of them?"

"Yes."

"And they're there now?"

The expression on her face told him she wasn't letting this go until she had proof. And maybe she had a point.

Reaching for his phone again, he had to concede she was right, as much as it pained him. "I'll check to make sure, okay?"

"Okay."

At this hour, they were more than likely both in bed, and he didn't want to wake the whole house up, but Dak would probably ignore a text. And neither he nor Katie would be able to sleep until he replied.

After dialing Dak's number, Kendall put his phone on speaker and motioned for Katie to sit next to him.

It only took three rings for Dak to answer. "Hey, what's wrong?"

The panic and worry in his voice made Kendall feel instantly guilty. Of course he'd think something had happened.

Katie pointed at the painting, shook her head, then pointed at the time on his phone. Kendall nodded. She was telling him what they'd found could wait until a decent hour as long as they were safely away from the house.

"Nothing. I just wanted to check and make sure that you were both at your dad's. Wasn't sure James would go with you."

Dak's yawn set both Kendall and Katie off. "It took a lot of persuading. But once he was out of the house he seemed himself again."

Kendall was desperate to ask if James believed him about the kiss now that he was away from the house, but Dak yawned again. That should probably wait until the morning, too. "Okay, good. I'm sorry for waking you. Go back to sleep."

The call ended right away.

Katie laughed softly. "Well, goodnight to you, too. I wonder if he was even fully awake." She shook her head but looked ten times more relaxed now that James wasn't in danger. "We should do the same. We still have work tomorrow."

Ugh. Kendall had managed to conveniently forget about that. "Yeah."

He stood, stretched, and gave Katie a hug before heading to his bedroom. Sleep came easily, and so did his dreams.

He woke up five hours later knowing exactly what they needed to do.

* * *

 **Done! So yeah, as many of you guessed, James is an Oxton. And it seems that Alexander has influence over him while in the house.**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **I'm glad you all liked everyone's Halloween outfits last chapter! :) There are two more chapters of this story left, one of which will be the epilogue. Those will be up tomorrow and Wednesday.**

 **Until tomorrow! :P**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	21. Chapter Twenty

**A/N: Hello again everyone! It's time for another new chapter! :)**

 **Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, Guest, Side1ways, and RainbowDiamonds for reviewing!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

"Are you going to call him?" Dak poked his cereal spoon at James as he spoke, milk dripping off the end as Sam slept in his lap.

James frowned at it. "That's disgusting, you know."

"Answer the question."

Sensing Dak wasn't going to drop it, James put his toast back on his plate and sighed. "I don't know."

He had no idea what had come over him, but he was so angry and had felt so sure when they were back at the house. Sure of what he'd seen Kendall do, and sure of how he felt about it. But now? Now he didn't know what to believe.

"You know he didn't do anything, though, right? It was whatshisface…"

"Alexander?"

"Yes, him." Dak was back to using his spoon as a pointer. "He was messing with the two of you."

"How?" James had been over and over this all last night. "Making me see things? Do you realize how that sounds?"

Dak stared at him open-mouthed. "No more far-fetched than seeing writing suddenly appear in a previously blank book."

Deep down, James knew that Dak was right, but he just couldn't get past what he'd seen. Something inside kept telling him it was real, that he'd seen his boyfriend kissing someone else, right in front of him. And each time he tried to rationalize that it was fake, some cruel trick played on him by Alexander, he couldn't convince himself he believed it for some reason.

Regardless, he did owe Kendall an explanation. "I'll call him after school."

Dak nodded, then glanced at the kitchen wall. "Speaking of which, aren't you going to be late?"

James followed Dak's gaze before his eyes widened. "Shit! Yes." He crammed the rest of his toast in his mouth. "What about you?"

Toast crumbs flew everywhere as James spoke with his mouth full, and Dak grimaced.

"Nice." He muttered as he stood, momentarily setting Sam-who stayed asleep through the whole thing-in his bed before taking his bowl over to the sink. "I'm leaving in a sec. Dad already left, said I didn't need to be there until nine."

"Right. Well, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, okay." Dak said, picking up Sam and heading for the stairs before turning at the last minute. "Make sure you call him."

James nodded. "I will." He promised before grabbing his phone, wallet, and keys of the counter and left for school.

XxX

As far as days back went, it was one of the better ones. The kids had been excited to see each other and eager to tell stories about what they'd done over the weekend. The fact that it was also Halloween helped keep them from complaining about being back at school. A lot of them were going out trick-or-treating later, and the whole class was more than happy to draw pictures of prospective costumes and describe who they were and why they'd picked it.

The problem came when he looked at his lesson plan for the following day and realized the stuff he needed was still in the kitchen at home. Shit.

Dak's explanation for staying away until after Halloween made a lot of sense. James might have been reluctant at first, but he understood. Nothing weird had happened for weeks, but Dak was adamant James had behaved strangely at the party and that they shouldn't be there for Halloween.

But if Dak had seen _his_ boyfriend with his tongue stuck down another guy's throat, then he'd behave strangely too. Not that James said as much, because Dak was adamant Kendall hadn't done anything.

He wanted desperately to believe it wasn't true, but he just couldn't. He would talk to Kendall, though, listen to what he had to say, after he'd been to the house to pick up what he needed for school tomorrow. Dak wouldn't be happy with him, but this was work, and he couldn't exactly use a malevolent ghost as an excuse. Besides, it wasn't even dark yet. He'd be in and out in a flash.

James pulled out his phone as he walked to his car, then sent Kendall a quick text.

 _Hey, are you busy later? Thought we could talk. -J_

His phone rang as he pulled up to the gate of his and Dak's house. Kendall's number flashed on the screen. After contemplating ignoring it because he hadn't planned out what he wanted to say yet, he sighed an answered. "Hey. I was going to call you later."

"Sorry, but I have something to do later, and I didn't want to miss you."

Hearing Kendall's voice brought back a multitude of mixed emotions, and James fumbled for what to say. Kendall broke the silence. "What you saw at the party wasn't real. I didn't kiss Jett." His breath hitched, the sincerity in his words tugging at James' heart. "I would never do that to you, Jay."

James stopped with his hand above the gate latch. _I believe him._ "I know."

Apparently all he'd needed was to actually hear Kendall say it. But why hadn't he believed him in the first place, when now he felt so certain? The house loomed in front of him, and all of a sudden, James didn't want to go inside. Had Alexander really been playing tricks with his mind? The thought send a shudder through him, and he gripped the gate for support.

And just like that, his certainty wavered.

 _Why do I trust Kendall?_ He took a step beyond the gate, his shoes crunching over the gravel driveway as he headed on autopilot for the front door. _Why should I believe him instead of my own eyes?_

"James?"

James ignored him.

"James! Where are you right now?"

He unlocked the front door and went inside. The chilly air wrapped around him like a cool blanket, coaxing him forwards through the house.

When he opened his mouth, words spilled out as though they weren't his own. "I'm home."

* * *

"Katie!"

Kendall yelled so loudly, the lady she was serving dropped her money all over the floor.

Katie glared at him as though he was crazy, until she registered the panicked look on his face. Apologizing profusely, she finished the transaction in record time.

Kendall was already closing and locking the shop door as she hurried over to him.

"What's wrong?"

Flipping the sign on the door to Closed, he took a deep breath and tried to calm down so he could explain. "James is at the house."

"What? But I thought-"

"So did I, but I just spoke to him." Kendall's papers were stacked under the counter where he'd been working on them, and he stopped to grab them before heading to the stairs. "It was fine at first." He said, taking the steps two at a time. Katie followed close on his heels. "He believed me. I could hear it in his voice. And then, suddenly everything changed."

"What do you mean?"

They burst into the apartment, heading to the kitchen where they'd laid out the candles and chalk.

"His voice went all weird, and I heard him walking over that fucking gravel, and when he got inside, he said, 'I'm home.' But it wasn't _James_ speaking."

"Oh fuck."

Katie hardly ever swore, and Kendall stopped and glanced at her. She was as white as a sheet.

"Hey." Reaching across the table, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "We can do this. With everyone helping, we can do this."

She nodded, and he let go of her to pick up the chalk.

She pointed at it. "It was the only thing I could think of that writes on concrete."

"It'll work. Come on."

With everything bagged up and tucked safely in Katie's arms, they ran back downstairs and out to the car. Kendall already had his phone out, calling Kelly. She answered right away.

"We need to do it now." He said urgently. "James is at the house."

"Shit." The sound of doors slamming told him she was locking up as they spoke. "On my way."

Dak required a little more explanation, but once Kendall said that James was at the house, he cursed loudly and said that he was on his way too, and hung up.

The car started up and they were off. Kendall just hoped they could get there in time.

XxX

Everything they were about to do had come to him in a dream the night before. Katie hadn't asked questions, not doubting him for a second as he explained.

Isaac had told him, shown him the runes he needed to draw, the words he needed to say, and how to get Alexander to cross over permanently.

Katie gripped the edge of her seat as Kendall took a corner too sharply. "So, after we do this, he should be gone for good, right?"

"Yes."

"Why the fuck didn't he dream-tell you this earlier, or someone years before, for that matter!"

 _That's a good question._ Kendall would rather not be racing towards a haunted house on Halloween. "I think it's harder for him. Alexander is stuck between worlds, but Isaac is completely on the other side."

"Because Isaac died naturally, but Alexander was banished?"

"Yeah, something like that." That part of the dream had been short, choppy in its detail. "I got the impression Isaac didn't know that until he died."

"There have been generations of Knights before then and now, for God's sake. Why wait?"

"I don't know."

They lapsed into silence, and Kendall silently rehearsed the ritual in his head . The rune drawing and spellcasting weren't freaking him out. It was the bit that came after that he wasn't looking forward to. At all.

As soon as they reached the house, Kendall turned off the engine and was out of the car, only stopping at Katie's "Wait!"

She ran across the driveway and put a hand on his arm. "We need to wait for the others."

The last thing he wanted to do was wait, but she was right.

The gravel crunched annoyingly underfoot as he paced. The next five minutes felt like hours until the noise of a car sounded.

Kelly arrived first, followed a couple minutes later by Dak and his dad.

Kendall's surprise had to be obvious, because Dak glanced at his dad, then at Kendall, and said, "Thought we could use all the help we could get."

"Good idea."

Dak pulled out his key and marched over to the front door, but as Kendall had noticed earlier, the door wasn't shut properly, and it swung open on the first touch.

"Be prepared for anything." Kendall whispered as they followed Dak inside. "He can't affect us, but he can manipulate the house. And James." He added, his stomach sinking at the thought. Who knew how far gone James was now.

The walk through the kitchen was relatively uneventful and quick. Kendall caught the others eyeing the block of knives on the counter with open hostility as they hurried past. Unlike the last time he was here, the house seemed eerily quiet.

There was only one place James could be, and as they headed through the living room towards the sunroom and the cellar door, Katie tugged on his sleeve.

"I expected something to happen." She glanced around warily as they neared the sunroom, as though things might jump out at her any minute.

Kendall agreed. "Yeah, I thought we'd at least meet some-" The sunroom door suddenly slammed shut in their faces. "-resistance." He finished faintly.

Not expecting it to open, he reached out to try the handle anyway. The door didn't budge. "Shit." He turned to the others. "Now what?"

Dak hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "This way." He beckoned them to follow. "We can go round back and through the patio doors. We might have to break the glass, unless I can find the key."

Scott marched after his son. "We can replace the glass."

Dak stumbled to a halt as the living room door slammed shut barely missing his fingers. He snatched his hand back in horror. His dad was by his side in a second, checking he was okay.

"Fucking hell." Scott looked back at Kendall in disbelief. "I always thought my aunt was crazy. But apparently not."

Kendall eyed the living room window, thick double glazing with substantial locks. "Are there window keys?"

Dak shook his head. "They're all in the kitchen."

 _Shit, shit, shit._

"Look." Kelly pointed over at the sunroom door, and all five watched watched in silence as it slowly swung all the way open. "Maybe he just wasn't ready for us before."

Kendall arched an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. He really didn't want to think of Alexander as ready and waiting for them.

The room beyond was the least inviting space he had seen in a long while. With the clocks going back last week, it was now dark outside, and no moonlight lit up the space in front of them.

Kendall sighed, resigned to the fact that they were going in. "How much do you want to bet the lights won't work?" He asked as he walked inside and flicked the switch.

Nothing.

As he thumbed on the flashlight on his phone, he remembered going in there with James by such faint light. Thankfully this time there were no gasps of shock when he faced the others. When all of them had their phones ready, with the light apps switched on, the sunroom flooded with light, but it seemed no less eerie. Shadows lurked in the corners, and the cellar door, still adorned with a menacing fake skeleton, looked like the entrance to a tomb.

He glanced back at Dak. "You cleared everything else away, but left this?"

Dak shrugged apologetically. "I forgot about it. I was kind of in a hurry."

"Is anything else down there?" He didn't add _Anything other than James and the ghost of Alexander,_ but he was willing to bet everyone was thinking it.

"I cleared out mostly everything before we left. There's just the dresser and the mirror."

"A mirror?" Kelly asked, forcing her way past Dak's dad to stand in front of them. "You left the mirror down there?" When Dak nodded, she grabbed Kendall's arm. "Mirrors are rumored to be portals to the spirit realm." No one said a word, all eyes fixed on her. "Your aunt hated them. She would only have them in the bathrooms, and always used to go on about never looking into one by candlelight." She rounded on Dak. "After what happened at your party, I would've thought you'd get rid of it."

"We were going to my dad's! I didn't think it would matter. I was just focused on getting James out of here."

Dak's distraught expression was enough for Kendall to step in. "It doesn't matter now. There's nothing we can do but go down there." He tried the cellar light switch, just in case, but unsurprisingly, nothing happened.

"It's quiet down there." Katie had made her way to his side and peered around his shoulder. "Shouldn't we be able to hear something?"

Kendall shrugged. "At this point, I have no idea what to expect."

Taking the lead, he shone his phone down the steps, revealing nothing but concrete, and started down them.

The others followed in silence.

Kendall's heart raced, lodged somewhere between his chest and his throat as he neared the bottom. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he swallowed thickly, then shone the light over the room. "James! No!"

The collective gasps behind him barely registered as he took in the sight of James standing with the blade of a kitchen knife resting against his wrist. "Put the knife down." Kendall begged before running across the room, only to be knocked on his ass by an invisible force as soon as he got close. Stunned, Kendall scrambled to his knees. "James, please…"

James shook his head. "I can't." For a minute, Kendall thought James was back, free of Alexander's influence. But then he smiled. "It's the only way we can be together."

The knife slid across his wrist in a shallow cut.

Kendall watched in horror as the first drops of blood fell to the cellar floor, and suddenly everything clicked. Turning back to the others, he hissed, "Alexander's not trying to come back to life, he wants James to join him where he's caught between worlds!"

"What?!" Dak and his dad shouted at the same time, glancing from James to Kendall, then back again. "How?"

Kendall ignored them for a second. "We need to hurry! Kelly, Katie, help me set up over here."

"Kendall! The circle!"

Katie pointed at James' feet, and Kendall glanced down to see James was standing in the middle of a circle of runes. With each drop of blood, they glowed brighter and brighter. A low chanting filled the room, coming from the direction of the mirror. Kendall walked closer to the glass, feeling the temperature drop with each step.

" _Isaac_." A voice spat out. "You cannot stop this. I've waited far too long. Liam and I were bonded through magic, and we will be together again. He may not completely remember me yet, but he will."

Kendall looked up to see the reflection of Alexander Knight staring back at him. "I'm not Isaac." He pointed over at James, now squeezing his wrist and spilling more blood onto the floor. "And he's not Liam."

"Look at him." Alex said softly, his gaze darting to James. "He's just as I remember."

"No!" Kendall snapped, desperation clawing at him. "His name is James Diamond, and you can't take him."

"I can and I will. Watch." Alexander closed his eyes, a smile on his face as his chants got louder.

"Kendall! Come on!" Katie shouted to him from where she and Kelly knelt on the floor laying candles out in a circle.

He rushed over and dropped to his knees. "Dak, you and Scott try and distract James."

"How the hell do we do that?"

"I don't know! Talk to him, throw something at him, anything!" Kendall grabbed the chalk and started to draw the runes he'd seen in his dream the night before.

With each completed drawing, the air crackled around him. Magic filled the room, so thick that Kendall could taste it in the back of his throat. He didn't dare look over at James, didn't want to see how close he was to completing the ritual. With his last rune finished, Kendall sat back and reached for Kelly and Katie's hands, and whispered. "Just like we practiced." He closed his eyes.

All three of them spoke together. "On All Hallow's Eve let the veil between worlds lift. I call upon you, Isaac Knight, as my family and forebear, to cross over and make yourself known."

Kendall cringed a little at the wording, but his dream had been specific. For a second, he thought it hadn't worked, but then the air whooshed around him, lighting the candles and setting the room aglow.

"No!" Alexander's voice cut through the silence. "Go back, Isaac."

Kendall whipped his head around trying to see who he was talking to.

"Oh my god." Katie whispered and grabbed his arm. "Look."

In the middle of the room, a figure seemed to materialize out of the air. He wasn't solid-Kendall could see through him to James-but substantial enough to make out his features, Isaac Knight.

 _Fucking hell, it actually worked._

"Dak, Scott!" He called, trying to get their attention. They were busy talking at James, trying to get him to put the knife down. Kendall crawled over to them while Isaac moved in front of the mirror. "Is it working?"

"No." Dak shook his head, looking near tears. "I don't think he can hear us. And anything we throw just bounces right back."

The runes surrounding James glowed incandescently. They were running out of time.

"Let the boy go, Alexander." Isaac said softly.

Kendall edged as close to James as he could.

"He is _mine_." Alexander said, before saying something else under his breath. James gasped and set the knife to his wrist again. "You took my life from me Isaac, and in doing so, you kept me from my love for all these years. I was _alone_!"

Icy air filled the room and Kendall shivered.

James didn't flinch, the knife steady against his skin.

"James?" Kendall tried. "Put it down. _Please_ …"

Nothing.

Isaac took a small step forwards. "I'm so sorry. I never intended any of this for you. To spend all those years lost and alone." He held his hand to the glass of the mirror, and for a second, Alexander reached out and touched his fingers, before snatching his hand away.

"But you did this to me!" Alexander snapped.

"I know." Isaac nodded solemnly. "I was scared for our family. You were out of control."

"They murdered him, Isaac! They left him to die by the side of the road like an animal!" Alexander's gaze focused on James for a moment, and his whole face changed. A look of such love and adoration that Kendall hardly believed it was the same man. Then Alexander snarled, wiping the expression away. "They deserved everything I gave them. An eye for an eye."

"Let the boy go, Alexander. He is not Liam. He's not _your_ love. His heart belongs to another, so let them be."

"No!"

Isaac closed his eyes and raised his hand, whispering words too quiet for Kendall to catch. Another wave of power swept through the room, and Kendall watched in awe as a second ghostly figure appeared.

 _Liam._

"Alexander, my love. What have you done?" Liam's voice was filled with sadness as he walked towards the mirror, hand outstretched.

"Liam?" Alexander's breath caught, the name little more than a gasp of breath. He touched his fingers to Liam's against the glass, and his whole body shuddered.

The knife suddenly clattered from James' hand and Kendall dived forwards to catch him as he fell. No resistance met him this time. James collapsed in his arms, unconscious.

Kendall pulled him close, holding his breath while the scene unfolded in front of them.

"This isn't you, Alex." Liam sighed.

Kendall felt it like a feathery touch across his face. He cast a glance at the others, all of them stunned into rapt attention.

Alexander looked broken. "They _murdered_ you…"

Liam smiled sadly. "I know. And you made them pay for it. Enough is enough." He turned to Isaac and nodded, then held out both hands towards the mirror. "Come with me?"

Isaac began to chant softly, the words a lilting cadence that floated through the air like wisps of smoke.

Alexander's face crumpled when their fingers entwined, and a sob tore from his chest as Liam drew him out of the mirror and into his arms, Alexander's body now ghostlike as Liam's and Isaac's.

Without another word or a backwards glance, the three of them suddenly shimmered before disappearing. The candles flickered, then went out, and the runes around the circle dimmed until they were just chalk marks on the floor. The cellar light suddenly switched on and everyone squinted at the sudden glare.

Dak let out a harsh breath. "Is it over?"

Kendall rested his head against James' and breathed him in, reassuring himself that he was okay with a hand on the pulse in his wrist. "Yeah, I think so."

They all sagged in relief.

"How is he?" Dak asked urgently as he leaned over to get a better look at James, as did Katie and Kelly.

Scott stood and ushered the rest of them to back up a bit. "Let me take a look at him."

Kendall shifted so that James was between his legs, with his back against Kendall's chest.

Scott carefully took each of James' wrists and examined them. "These don't look too deep. They've already started to clot. But it might be worth taking him to the hospital to get checked out."

"'M fine." James mumbled, startling everyone when he blinked a couple of times and then opened his eyes.

Kendall couldn't resist kissing his temple and wrapping his arms around him. "How do you feel?"

"Not too bad. A little groggy, but pretty good, considering I just had a ghost in my head." James put his hands over Kendall's and tangled their fingers. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For not believing you. For throwing you out of the house and ignoring your calls."

Kendall shushed him. "It's okay. You were under Alexander's influence."

James shook his head. "Not the whole time."

"Do you believe me now?" Now that he knew James would be okay, and after everything that had happened, it was all he cared about.

"Yeah." James turned in his arms and leaned up for a kiss.

"Then that's all that matters." Kendall was seconds away from kissing him again, when Dak stood and clapped his hands, reminding them they weren't alone.

"I don't know about you guys, but I need a drink." He said. Although, under all the bravado, Kendall could still see the swirling mix of worry and relief in his eyes.

"Oh God, me too." Kelly said, eyeing the chalk marks on the floor and shuddering.

Katie pushed herself up with a wistful sigh. "That was both the scariest and most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen."

One by one, everyone stood, until Kendall and James were the only ones on the floor.

Kendall glanced back towards the mirror that now looked old and unthreatening. "Yeah. Despite everything he did, though, I'm glad he finally found some peace."

"Me too." James' hand went to his heart. "I felt his pain when he was in my head. All the hurt and the longing, still so strong after all these years. I know he killed people, and he tried to kill me, but having Liam die in his arms like that killed him too. It was so fucking awful. But now they're finally reunited." His smile was soft, and Kendall leaned in to kiss him again.

Dak scoffed. "Well, as an innocent bystander, I'm just glad they're all gone." His dad clapped him on the shoulder and then pulled him in for a hug.

The cold concrete had made itself known through Kendall's jeans, and he nudged James gently. "Can you stand?" As much as he didn't want to let him go, they couldn't stay here all night.

"Yeah." James pushed himself upright and then got to his feet. "See? I'm okay, really."

That was enough of a green light for Dak to crush him into a tight hug. "Thank God. You had me worried for a second there."

James let out a soft chuckle as he returned the hug and pat Dak on the back. "Nah, I'm fine. Face it, you're stuck with me." He responded, which got a chuckle from everyone.

After Dak was done with him, Kendall took James by the hand and led him towards the stairs. "Let's go and get you patched up."

"Is Alexander gone for good now?" Dak asked, following behind them. "I mean, we won't have to do that every Halloween, will we?"

"No. He's gone." Kendall pulled James to one side as they left the cellar, and he shut the door behind them once everyone was out. "We'll meet up with you guys in a minute." Ignoring the knowing looks, Kendall backed James up against the wall. "I just need to do something before we join the others."

"Oh?"

He shuffled closer, pressed his hips against James', and James' warmth settled an ache deep inside him. "This okay?"

"Mm-hmm." James held him close, his nose tucked into the crook of Kendall's neck. "Perfect."

"I was so worried when I saw you with that knife. I thought… Fuck, I don't even want to put it into words."

"Hey." James pulled back until he met Kendall's gaze. "Let's not talk about that now. I'm okay, you're okay, and the house isn't haunted anymore. We should be celebrating with the others." James smiled and leaned in to kiss him, soft and just a little desperate, before resting their foreheads together. "Later, though…"

"You can come home with me." Kendall whispered.

Alexander's spirit may have gone, but Kendall doubted anyone wanted to stay in the house tonight.

"I'd like that." James kissed Kendall again, but then his features morphed into a frown.

"What?"

James sighed. "It's nothing."

They'd come way too far to have any secrets now. Kendall put his hand on James' cheek and forced him to meet his eyes. "Tell me."

"It's just… well, I always got the feeling that things were a little too easy between us. Do you know what I mean?"

"Like we fit together so well, so soon?"

"Yeah." James bit his lip. "Do you think that has anything to do with…" He waved a hand towards the cellar.

Kendall had to admit that he hadn't given it much thought. He was just thankful their relationship had survived despite his many unintentional attempts to sabotage it. But now that James had brought it up…

"Maybe? Though I doubt we'll ever know for sure." And he honestly didn't care, either. He kissed James again and drew back, needing to look him in the eyes when he spoke. "We're together now, though, and that's all that matters. Right?""

James' answering smile chased away any lingering doubts introduced by that conversation. "Right." He pushed off the wall and took Kendall's hand. "Come on. We better get in there before they send out a search party."

Kendall let James lead him through the house that held so many memories for him. Now that the ghosts of the past were finally laid to rest, he could look to the future.

Hopefully, one that included the man in front of him.

He had James back, and Kendall intended to hold on tight and never let him go.

* * *

 **Done! So, there you have it. It looks like Alexander and Liam are finally back together and at peace. James is safe and Kames are also back together, of course! :)**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!**

 **The next and final chapter will be up tomorrow, and will be the epilogue.**

 **Until then!**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


	22. Epilogue

**A/N: Hello again everyone! We've made it to the end!**

 **Before we get into the final chapter/epilogue, I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone that read this story. I would also like to give special thanks to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Side1ways, and Guest for supporting me and sharing your thoughts on every chapter of this story! Your support means more to me that you'll ever know, so thank you so much! :)**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _One Year Later_

Kendall and Katie pulled up outside the open gate and parked at the side of the road.

The driveway was full of cars. He recognized both Scott and Kelly's cars in the driveway. "Looks like everyone's already here."

"Yeah. Come on, then." Katie glanced over at the house. A smile appeared and she gestured behind her. "Grab the bags off the back seat, would you?"

Kendall did as she asked, and the bags clinked as he stood up and got out of the car.

They walked up to the front door, and Katie grinned at the carved pumpkins standing guard there. "I see Dak's been busy."

The scary faces glowed brightly in the dark. Wide, sharp-toothed grins and demonic eyes. Kendall gestured to them with his foot as he knocked on the door. "How do you know it wasn't James?"

Katie laughed. "Oh, please. You saw his attempt on Sunday. No way did he do any of these."

Affronted on his boyfriend's behalf, Kendall elbowed her playfully just as the door opened. "He might have improved since then."

James looked between the two of them. "Who might have improved?"

"Kendall thinks you're capable of carving those pumpkins." Katie grinned as she kissed James on the cheek before squeezing past. "I told him there was absolutely no chance."

She didn't bother waiting for a response, heading off into the kitchen, presumably to find the others.

James and Dak's house had become like a second home over the past ten months, and not just for Kendall. Some weeks, Katie was there almost as much as he was, her friendship with both James and Dak blossoming over time. After what they'd all gone through, Kendall wasn't surprised that strong bonds had formed. Even Kelly kept in touch with James and Dak and his dad.

James stopped Kendall just inside the door, putting a hand on his chest. "Hey." Leaning in for a kiss, he shuffled closer, pressing Kendall against the wall with the full length of his body. "I missed you."

Kendall smiled. "You saw me this morning."

"But that was ages ago." James kissed him again, coaxing Kendall's mouth open with his tongue.

As much as Kendall wanted to carry on and see where this was leading, it would have to wait till later. He pushed off the wall, moving James back a little with his hips. "Come on, before they realize what we're doing out here."

"Oh, trust me, we already know." Dak said, leaning around the kitchen door and startling them both, with muffled laughter filtering out of the room behind him. "Please try and keep your hands off each other for five minutes. Appetizers are ready." He added with a smile before disappearing back into the kitchen.

James sighed, resting his forehead against Kendall's. "Thanks for defending my honor with the pumpkins, but Katie was right. They were all Dak."

Kendall grinned and gave James' ass a squeeze. "It's a good thing you have other talents, then."

"If you're a good boy, I might show you-"

The doorbell rang, cutting James off and making them both jump, the shrill shout of "Trick of treat!" filling the hallway. Thank God the door was solid and no one could see the way they were pressed together. The last thing either of them wanted was to get caught by their friends, or worse, James' class.

Kendall patted James' hip and slipped out to the side. "I'll leave you to it. You can find me in the kitchen when you're done."

"Thanks." James said dryly, rolling his eyes as he bent to pick up the huge bowl of chocolate and sweets off the stairs.

"You're welcome."

Kendall fled down the hall as James opened the front door to a chorus of "Awesome pumpkins, Mr. Diamond!"

XxX

Their main course arrived at eight o'clock, after most of the trick or treaters had been by. Dak and James unpacked the Indian takeout and set the containers on the kitchen table.

After helping himself to rice and a generous serving of chicken bhuna, James sat back in his chair and looked around the table. "This is a bit different from this time last year, huh?"

Kendall choked on his drink, setting it down with a little too much force. The image of James holding a knife to his wrist still haunted his dreams every once in a while. "A bit?"

"Well, a lot, then." He clasped Kendall's thigh under the table, rubbing his hand up and down. "It's just hard to imagine it with the house the way it is now."

Kendall had no trouble recalling it with startling clarity, but he knew what James meant. The house felt peaceful now, settled. No lingering trace of anything, not even in the cellar, verified by Sam's eagerness to get down there at every opportunity. He'd already been accidently locked in there overnight on two occasions, yet still tried to slip past when anyone opened the door, in typical cat fashion. Sam also never missed a chance to cuddle up with James now. "I suspect this is the first Halloween in a long time that Alexander hasn't haunted the place."

The mention of Alexander always brought a sad smile to James' face. Kendall knew he'd experienced first-hand all of Alexander's heartache and pain when he was inside James' head, so it was bound to have a lasting effect on James. Kendall couldn't imagine how that must have felt for him.

Kendall slipped a hand under the table and twined their fingers. "They got their happy ending eventually."

James smiled at him, and squeezed his hand. "I hope so."

After dinner was cleared away, Kendall and James said goodnight to everyone and headed for James' room.

James laughed as Kendall dragged him quickly up to the top of the stairs. "It's only ten thirty. What's the rush?"

Pausing outside of James' closed door, Kendall stopped and turned to face him. "You have to be up early, and there's something I want to show you before we go to bed."

"Oh?" James arched an eyebrow and stepped into Kendall's space. "Sounds promising."

"Not that." God, Kendall hoped he was doing the right thing. At James' look of disappointment, he added, "Well, we can do that later, but there's something else I want to do first."

"Okay."

With one hand on the doorknob, Kendall turned it and pushed open the door. As he flicked on the light he whispered, "Don't panic."

James followed him inside and stopped as soon as he saw the old mirror in the middle of the floor. "Kendall?"

He took a step towards it and then pointed down at the chalk circle of runes and the four candles on top of them. "What's going on? And when did you do all this?"

"When you were dealing with the trick or treaters. And it's not what you think. Well, it kind of is… but…" He walked up to James and slipped his arms around him, pulling him in close. "I've been doing some research."

"Into what, exactly?"

"Well-" Pointing at the runes, he let out a deep breath and hoped this wouldn't backfire. "-I know how much Alexander and Liam's story affected you last year."

James hummed in response.

"And so I thought…" It hadn't sounded quite so crazy when he'd come up with the idea after his dream. "I thought maybe we could check up on them."

"What?" The look on James' face as he turned to face him was a mix of disbelief and horror. "Are you insane? After what happened you want to… to try and _resurrect_ them?" The last bit came out as a harsh whisper.

"God, no." That was the furthest thing from Kendall's mind.

"Then what?"

Kendall sighed. "It'll be a glimpse of them, that's all. A brief look through the veil now it's at its thinnest." He motioned to the candles on the floor. "Can I?"

His dream hadn't been the clearest, but it had left him with the feeling that this was what he was supposed to do.

James hesitated for just a second before nodding. "I'll get the lights."

They sat down in front of the mirror and Kendall took James' hand in his, then closed his eyes and recalled the words he'd practiced earlier.

A soft breath of air washed over them, and when Kendall opened his eyes again, the candles were alight and the four runes glowed brightly underneath them.

"Now what?" James whispered, leaning close.

While focusing intently on Kendall, James couldn't have seen what Kendall had.

With a gentle nudge to his shoulder, Kendall turned him around. "Look."

"Oh my god." James' jaw dropped as the two figures in the mirror moved closer to the glass from the other side. Their hands entwined, Alexander and Liam looked as in love as two people could possible be.

Alexander looked back over his shoulder as though someone had called his name, and in the background, Isaac smiled, standing with an older version of Alexander. That had to be John Knight.

Kendall's heart was in his mouth as he watched his ancestors as though they were alive and in the room with them. They were his family, people he'd only read about and heard stories of.

One glance at James' face told him he felt the same sense of awe Kendall did.

The candles flickered. "The connections fading." Kendall said as he gripped James' hand, both of them watching Alexander step closer and reach out to lay his fingers on against the glass.

With a soft smile, he looked straight at them. "Thank you." The words were so quiet, barely a whisper in the room around them, but clear as day in Kendall's head. "You set me free."

When the candles flickered again, Liam tugged on Alexander's hand, smiling at James and Kendall and stepping back as he did so. And then they were gone, their images disappearing like smoke until Kendall and James were looking back at their own reflection.

The candles went out and the room dimmed. A few seconds passed with neither him nor James saying anything. Then James launched himself at Kendall, tumbling them both to the floor.

"That was amazing." James buried his face in the crook of Kendall's neck and wrapped his arms tight around his shoulders. "Thank you."

Warmth spread through him at James' words, and he gripped him back just as tightly. "You're welcome."

James' breath hitched, and Kendall felt the press of lips against his skin. "I love you so much, especially when you do things like this for me."

A huff of laughter escaped Kendall. At the same time, his heart fluttered. "I love you too."

* * *

 **Done! So, a pretty short epilogue, but we got to check in with everyone. Kames are together and happy, of course, but they both are still affected by what happened, with Kendall having dreams of that night and James dealing with the emotions from Alexander. But, the house is peaceful now, as evidenced by Sam! We even got to see Alexander and Liam together and happy, along with Isaac and their father!**

 **I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter (and story in general), as well as if you happened to have any favorite parts/moments!**

 **Again, I would like to thank you all so much for all of your support! I had so much fun with this story and I'm so happy so see that you all seemed to enjoy it as well! :) I'm also a little surprised I actually made my Halloween deadline. That rarely happens. I'm really going to miss this story, though.**

 **Speaking of which, I do have another story in the works, although it's kind of on the shorter side. I'm thinking about posting the first chapter of that within the next week or so.**

 **And before I forget, for those you that celebrate it, Happy Halloween! :D**

 **-Epically Obsessed**


End file.
